2 soldiers, 2 civilians killed at Baghdad council meeting

Two soldiers and two American civilians were killed in a bombing today at a Baghdad neighborhood council meeting, Fort Carson's 3rd Brigade Combat Team said in an e-mail.

The bombing happened at 9:30 a.m. in the Sadr City neighborhood, a Shiite enclave where the Fort Carson troops are working to restore calm after months of fighting earlier this year.

"This was the fourth meeting of this district council, led by hard working Iraqis determined to make a difference and set Sadr City off on the right path," Lt. Col. John Digiambatista, the brigade's operations officer said. "They killed four people today in one cowardly act to halt progress, but it will only harden the determination of this council."

Three members of the Sadr City council and one soldier were wounded in the attack.

The neighborhood councils meet with military officials throughout Baghdad to help set rebuilding priorities.

The identities of the soldiers killed today were not released by the Army, pending the notification of their families. It was unknown whether were from Fort Carson.

The brigade said that a suspect in the bombing was in custody. He was caught fleeing the scene and tested positive for explosive residue, the brigade said. The meetings bring together top local civilian leaders, including sheiks, and officers from the brigade, who are escorted by a heavily-armed security detachment.

Rebuilding Baghdad has been a top priority for the 3,600-soldier brigade, which deployed to Baghdad in December.
In recent weeks, though, battling Shiite insurgents took priority, as the brigade put down an uprising that was ended with a truce agreement.

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