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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 31 august 2022
U.S. Navy says Iran seized, later let go of American sea drone

By JON GAMBRELL some four hours as the Ira-
Associated Press nians unhooked the tow
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- line to the drone and left
ates (AP) — Iran’s paramili- the area as the American
tary Revolutionary Guard forces were nearby.
seized an American sea U.S. Army Gen. Michael
drone Tuesday in the Per- “Erik” Kurilla, who leads
sian Gulf and tried to tow the military’s Central Com-
it away, only releasing the mand, praised the Thunder-
unmanned vessel when a bolt’s crew for its response.
U.S. Navy warship and he- “This incident once again
licopter approached, offi- demonstrates Iran’s con-
cials said. tinued destabilizing, illegal
The incident marks the first and unprofessional activity
time the Navy’s Mideast- in the Middle East,” he said
based 5th Fleet’s new in a statement
drone task force has been Iran’s paramilitary Guard,
targeted by Iran. which answers only to Su-
While the interception end- preme Leader Ayatollah
ed without incident, ten- Ali Khamenei, did not ac-
sions remain high between knowledge the incident.
Washington and Tehran as This photo released by the U.S. Navy shows the Iranian Revolutionary Guard ship Shahid Bazair, Iran’s mission to the United
negotiations over the Islam- left, towing a U.S. Navy Saildrone Explorer in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. Nations did not immediate-
Associated Press
ic Republic’s tattered nu- ly respond to a request for
clear deal with world pow- 5th Fleet spokesman. The as an MH-60 Seahawk he- was U.S. government prop- comment.
ers hang in the balance. vessel then began tow- licopter, moved to shadow erty and was operating in The 5th Fleet launched its
The Guard’s Shahid Baziar ing the Saildrone Explorer, the Guard’s ship. international waters and unmanned Task Force 59
warship attached a line to which carries cameras, The Navy called the Sha- that we had every inten- last year. The 5th Fleet’s
the Saildrone Explorer in the radars and sensors for re- hid Baziar by radio to iden- tion to take action if neces- area of responsibility in-
central part of the Persian motely monitoring the sea, tify the drone as American, sary,” the commander told cludes the crucial Strait of
Gulf in international waters Hawkins said. Hawkins said. The Associated Press. Hormuz, the narrow mouth
late Monday night, said The USS Thunderbolt, a Navy “Our response was one that Hawkins said the incident of the Persian Gulf through
Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a coastal patrol boat, as well as such made clear that this ended peacefully after which 20% of all oil passes.q

Dutch defense minister

concerned about U.S.

gun violence

of our servicemen in the
United States, and we re-
ally don’t expect this to
happen. So it’s very, very
concerning for us.” Ollon-
gren told The Associated
Press at a meeting of Euro-
pean Union defense min-
isters in Prague. A 26-year-
old member of the Dutch
Commando Corps, identi-
fied by U.S. authorities as
Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Simmie Poetsema, died of
Ollongren speaks with the his injuries “surrounded by
media as she arrives for a
meeting of EU Defense Min- family and colleagues,”
isters at the Prague Congress the Dutch Defense Min-
Center in Prague, Czech Re- istry said in a statement
public, Tuesday, Aug. 30, Monday. Poetsema and
2022. the two other soldiers were
Associated Press shot after what Indianapo-
PRAGUE (AP) — Dutch De- lis police believe was a dis-
fense Minister Kajsa Ollon- turbance outside the hotel
gren expressed concern where they were staying
Tuesday about gun vio- about 3:30 a.m. Saturday
lence in the United States near several downtown
in the aftermath of a shoot- bars and nightclubs, au-
ing in Indianapolis over thorities said.
the weekend that left one The soldiers were in the U.S.
Dutch soldier dead and for training exercises at a
two wounded. southern Indiana military
“We do many trainings base.q