Military

NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894

May 24, 2004
Release Number: 04-05-49


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


COMBINED FORCES COMMAND AFGHANISTAN RELEASE

KABUL, Afghanistan, May 22, 2004 - LTG David Barno, Combined Forces Command - Afghanistan, commander, has appointed Brig. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., Deputy Commanding General, Combined Joint Task Force-76, to lead the "top to bottom" review of all coalition detention and holding operations in Afghanistan.

General Jacoby, a highly decorated West Point graduate, has been in theater since April 2004, and has a wide range of command experience spanning almost 26 years.

As lead for the review, General Jacoby will physically visit every facility to ensure internationally accepted standards of handling detainees are being met. The General will ensure facilities are adequate, procedures are in accordance with the spirit of the Geneva Conventions and are being followed correctly and fully, and that staffing and capabilities are adequate to the task.

General Jacoby will provide conclusions and recommendations from the review back to General Barno by mid-June.

Four U.S. Soldiers were injured in a rocket attack at Forward Operating Base Salerno Friday. At about 1:45 p.m. local anti-coalition militia fired two rockets at the base. The first rocket landed near a group of Soldiers, injuring four with shrapnel wounds. The second rocket caused no damage or injuries.

Also on Friday, coalition forces found a weapons cache north of Jalalabad containing eight kilos of opium, one 82 mm mortar tube and 30 82 mm mortar rounds.

The following information is an update to the news release, sent out Friday evening, concerning the Khowst Province raid. After further investigation Coalition forces have identified a fourth casualty resulting from the raid: a female; age and identification are still unknown. She was killed after coalition forces were fired on, and returned fired on the target that she and the previously announced enemy dead were in. Two of the four wounded U.S. Soldiers from the raid have been released and two remain in the Bagram Medical Facility. The incident is under further investigation.

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