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CNN Live Saturday
Families of Thousands of Iraqi MIAs Await News
Aired April 19, 2003 - 13:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: While seven U.S. families are rejoicing over the return of their loved ones, other families still wait and worry. That includes thousands of families in Iraq. CNN's Karl Penhaul has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Missing in action, Iraqi soldier, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). His mother, Nihaya Salman, talked to him just two days before the war began. Since then, nothing. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was a conscript in a front line, that unit, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Company, that clashed with U.S. forces about 120 miles southeast of here. The city of An Najaf.
An Iraqi officer who was wounded but escaped sent word that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and his fellow soldiers surrendered and were taken prisoner. Nihaya fixes her food for her other four children. She has a hard time, choking back the tears. "As his mother, I have pain in my heart. This is my son and I don't want to lose him," she says. "I want him beside me. Just imagine the feelings of a mother who's lost her son."
Red Crescent officials here in An Najaf said that at least 125 families have so far reported husbands and sons missing.
(on camera): Coalition forces have taken several thousands of Iraqis as prisoners of war. Now, hostilities are over. Those families are wondering when their loved ones will be free to come home.
(voice-over): On his day's leave from the army, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) worked here downtown An Najaf. He's a skillful silversmith and used the extra income, on top of his $2 per month army pay, to support his family. Like all young Iraqi men, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was forced to do military service. His brother, Jamil, says he hated Saddam Hussein and his regime.
"Nobody in our country supports Saddam Hussein because he tortures and imprisons our people. Nobody supports him."
A spokesman at U.S. forces' Central Command in Qatar said there was no complete list of the 6,800 Iraqi POWs being held by coalition forces. He declined to confirm if (UNINTELLIGIBLE) name was among those so far registered. But U.S. military sources say some of the prisoners are already being released. C.W.O. JIM FRITZ, 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION: As policy under the Geneva Convention -- indicate that we're supposed to release individuals as quickly as humanly possible. (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that normally means at the end of hostilities. Sometimes it can be sooner than that.
PENHAUL: And when her son finally comes home, Nihaya can begin enjoying life free from the full regime of Saddam Hussein.
Karl Penhaul, CNN, An Najaf, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: As we learned last hour, there are anywhere from 100,000 and 300,000 -- that's a conservative estimate -- missing Iraqis.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 19, 2003 - 13:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: While seven U.S. families are rejoicing over the return of their loved ones, other families still wait and worry. That includes thousands of families in Iraq. CNN's Karl Penhaul has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Missing in action, Iraqi soldier, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). His mother, Nihaya Salman, talked to him just two days before the war began. Since then, nothing. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was a conscript in a front line, that unit, the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Company, that clashed with U.S. forces about 120 miles southeast of here. The city of An Najaf.
An Iraqi officer who was wounded but escaped sent word that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and his fellow soldiers surrendered and were taken prisoner. Nihaya fixes her food for her other four children. She has a hard time, choking back the tears. "As his mother, I have pain in my heart. This is my son and I don't want to lose him," she says. "I want him beside me. Just imagine the feelings of a mother who's lost her son."
Red Crescent officials here in An Najaf said that at least 125 families have so far reported husbands and sons missing.
(on camera): Coalition forces have taken several thousands of Iraqis as prisoners of war. Now, hostilities are over. Those families are wondering when their loved ones will be free to come home.
(voice-over): On his day's leave from the army, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) worked here downtown An Najaf. He's a skillful silversmith and used the extra income, on top of his $2 per month army pay, to support his family. Like all young Iraqi men, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was forced to do military service. His brother, Jamil, says he hated Saddam Hussein and his regime.
"Nobody in our country supports Saddam Hussein because he tortures and imprisons our people. Nobody supports him."
A spokesman at U.S. forces' Central Command in Qatar said there was no complete list of the 6,800 Iraqi POWs being held by coalition forces. He declined to confirm if (UNINTELLIGIBLE) name was among those so far registered. But U.S. military sources say some of the prisoners are already being released. C.W.O. JIM FRITZ, 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION: As policy under the Geneva Convention -- indicate that we're supposed to release individuals as quickly as humanly possible. (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that normally means at the end of hostilities. Sometimes it can be sooner than that.
PENHAUL: And when her son finally comes home, Nihaya can begin enjoying life free from the full regime of Saddam Hussein.
Karl Penhaul, CNN, An Najaf, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: As we learned last hour, there are anywhere from 100,000 and 300,000 -- that's a conservative estimate -- missing Iraqis.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
