Missing US soldier found dead
2005-07-11 08:38
Washington - The body of a US soldier who disappeared in Afghanistan two weeks ago was found over the weekend, US media cited defence officials saying on Sunday.
The special forces soldier was the fourth and last member of a reconnaissance team that went missing. Two others had previously been found dead while one was rescued.
CNN and US network NBC cited a senior defence official saying the body was found near the other two and that all three had been killed in a shootout, denying a Taliban claim that the soldier had been captured and beheaded.
"No way" had the soldier ever been captured, CNN quoted the official as saying.
A US military helicopter that went searching for the four-man commando team was shot down on June 28, killing all 16 people aboard in the biggest loss of life for the US coalition in Afghanistan since 2001.
- AFP