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U.S. Defense Secretary Visits Troops In Iraq

24 December 2004 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today made an unannounced visit to troops in the Iraqi city of Mosul, where an apparent suicide bomber killed 22 people at a military dining tent on 21 December.

Rumsfeld visited victims of the attack who are being treated at a military field hospital near Mosul before continuing on to Tikrit, the hometown of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Rumsfeld told reporters travelling with him the purpose of his trip was to personally give U.S. soldiers his Christmas holiday greetings.

U.S. Brigadier General Carter Ham, who is in charge of the attacked base in Mosul, said yesterday the suicide bomber had likely worn an Iraqi military uniform. He said U.S. military installations across Iraq are on heightened alert, amid fears of a similar attack.

(Reuters/AP/AFP)

Copyright (c) 2004. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org