French soldiers reported that the country "seemed to empty ahead of them".

Another soldier reports that his own love life is intact.

The plan is virtually cost free because the same soldiers would otherwise have been reporting for routine training a few weeks later.

He said soldiers posted in the area had reported the incident.

The other eight soldiers had reported being held in a house near their observation post, but radio contact with them has been lost, he said.

"There may be a whole gamut of reasons why these soldiers haven't reported back."

American soldiers killed at least three militiamen in fighting on Tuesday, military officials reported.

It is not clear whether those soldiers reported to Captain Wood.

American soldiers reported seeing discarded military uniforms along the road.

No soldier has reported symptoms of exposure to the contaminants.