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updated 2:54 p.m. ET Nov. 7, 2005

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Five U.S. members of an elite Army unit have been charged with kicking and punching detainees in Iraq, the military said Monday.

The charges were issued Saturday against five soldiers from the 75th Ranger Regiment in connection with a Sept. 7 incident “in which three detainees were allegedly punched and kicked while awaiting movement to a detention facility,” the U.S. military said in a statement.

The military said officials had immediately launched an investigation after discovering the abuse allegations, leading to the charges. Names and ranks of the five soldiers were not released and the statement gave no further details.

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