IRAQ: CONVOY ATTACKED BY AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE IN BASRA / U.S. BOMBERS ATTACK TERRORIST SUSPECTS HIDEOUT IN BAGHDAD.

Record ID: 355745

  • Title: IRAQ: CONVOY ATTACKED BY AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE IN BASRA / U.S. BOMBERS ATTACK TERRORIST SUSPECTS HIDEOUT IN BAGHDAD.
  • Date: 19th November 2003
  • Summary: (W4) BASRA, 550KM SOUTH OF BAGHDAD (NOVEMBER 19, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. WS: BRITISH SOLDIER STANDING AT FRONT OF THE ATTACKED CAR. 0.09 2. MLV: VIEW OF CAR. 0.21 3. VARIOUS: OF DAMAGE TO CAR IN ATTACK. (3 SHOTS) 0.42 4. CU: SHATTERED WINDOWS / TILT DOWN / TO SHRAPNEL HOLES AND SHATTERED TYRE. 0.50 5. CU: HOLES OF SHRAPNEL ON THE
  • Embargoed: 4th December 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BASRA, 550 KM SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, DOURA, BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA245IP2TXLN9W5Q54TL1N58OCY
  • Story Text: Insurgent fighters attack a British civilian convoy
    in Basra.



    A convoy of two vehicles was attacked by an
    improvised explosive device (IED) in Basra city on
    Wednesday morning (November 19), said a spokesman for the
    British military press, adding that one vehicle was damaged
    and one civilian received some light injuries.

    Iraq's largest southern city Basra's is enjoying
    relative peace compared with the violence-stricken central
    and western region of Iraq.

    The British military presence -- visible on foot
    patrols throughout the city in berets instead of helmets --
    is intentionally kept low-key.

    However, though many residents voiced a desire to see
    British forces eventually leave once stability is fully
    established, there is little resentment towards the
    coalition.

    Mainly Shiite southern Iraq has seen fewer attacks on
    occupying troops than Baghdad and the Sunni Muslim
    heartland around the Iraqi capital.

    U.S. forces also bombed sites in the western edge of
    the city of Baghdad on Wednesday which was suspected of
    being used by the resistance fighters as hideouts to launch
    attacks on occupying forces.

    As part of a major operation to crack down on
    resistance fighters, the U.S. forces bombed and destroyed
    bunkers belonging to the former Iraqi army in Doura
    neighbourhood of Baghdad.

    The U.S. forces suspected the abandoned buildings as
    being hideouts of loyalists of ousted president Saddam
    Hussein, whom Washington accuse of being behind the spat of
    attacks on coalition forces.

    Residents of the area said they have been told by the
    U.S. forces two days ago to evacuate the area because they
    would bomb it.

    "Yesterday around 10:30 o clock, U.S. forces bombed
    bunkers at the area. Two days ago, the U.S. forces asked us
    to evacuate the area because they would bomb the area, so
    we left the area and yesterday they came and bombed the
    bunkers", said a witness Saif Sadeq.

    Meanwhile the rumble of heavy explosions was heard in
    the evening on Tuesday (November 18) in the Iraqi capital
    as U.S. forces launched another operation against Iraqi
    insurgents.

    A rapid series of deep booms shook the city at night
    as forces from the U.S. 1st Armoured Division hammered
    suspected insurgent positions.

    The bombardments were part of stepped-up operations
    this month by U.S. forces in the country responding to an
    escalation in the insurgency against them that has killed
    at least 177 U.S. soldiers in just over six months.


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