As the troop surge continues in Baghdad, search efforts continue for three 10th Mountain Division soldiers who remain missing following a pre-dawn attack south of the city, the Joint Staff’s deputy operations director reported today.

“A massive effort is under way to locate three missing American soldiers,” Army Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins told reporters during a Pentagon briefing.

The soldiers, members of Fort Drum’s 4th Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, were abducted about 20 miles south of Baghdad at 4:45 a.m. May 12. Four U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi army interpreter were killed in the incident.