Pentagon says 117 US troops killed in Iraq

The Pentagon on Monday said the death toll had reached 117 and 400 have been wounded in action in the 3-week-old war.

The Pentagon on Monday said the death toll among American troops fighting in Iraq had reached 117 and 400 have been wounded in action in the 3-week-old war.

HT Image

Four American troops remain missing, but the number of prisoners of war was cut to zero on Sunday after seven US army soldiers were rescued by Marines in Iraq when they were abandoned by Iraqi forces.

The 117 American war deaths included 105 killed in combat with Iraqi forces and 12 non-combat deaths. In addition to those wounded in action, there were 56 injured outside combat.

The Pentagon added the name of Marine Pvt. Jonathan Gifford, 20, of Macon, Illinois to the list of those killed in action. Gifford, who was killed after clashes on the outskirts of Nassiriya on March 23, was previously listed as missing.

He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expedition Brigade, based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.