- Title: IRAQ: EIGHT PEOPLE KILLED IN FIGHTING IN SADR CITY
- Date: 22nd September 2004
- Summary: (W3) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (SEPTEMBER 22, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. NIGHT SHOT OF PEOPLE WALKING DOWN STREET CARRYING RPG (ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADE) LAUNCHERS 0.08 (DAY SCENES) 2. WIDE OF STREET IN SADR CITY/ TRAFFIC / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE 0.14 3. SLV MEHDI ARMY FIGHTER CARRYING RPG LAUNCHER / POSITIONING ROCKET LAUNCHER ON GROUND 0.29 4.
- Embargoed: 7th October 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA8JSVNG6TIXOQM5K4KX5NULAMZ
- Story Text: At least eight killed and 50 wounded in U.S. raids
of targets in Baghdad's sprawling Shi'ite slum of Sadr City.
U.S. tanks raided the Baghdad Shi'ite Muslim
stronghold of Sadr City in the early hours of Wednesday
(September 22, 2004) as aircraft bombed the area and helicopters
flew low overhead, witnesses said.
The fighting came as U.S. and Iraqi forces searched for
weapons caches in the Shiite stronghold, an east Baghdad
slum.
Witnesses said U./S. forces raked one area with heavy
fire after rebels loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada
al-Sadr opened fire with rocket propelled grenades.
Mehdi Army fighters, militia loyal to Sadr could be
seen running in the streets of the impoverished slum
carrying rocket-propelled grenades launchers and AK-74
assault rifles while others fired mortars.
On Tuesday, U.S. planes also struck in Sadr City in an
attempt to destroy roadside bombs and mines strewn across
the slum's streets. Al-Sadr officials said the strikes
destroyed the homes of civilians.
The district is a major power base for Sadr, a young,
radical cleric from the long-oppressed Shi'ite majority
whose followers have fought U.S. troops over recent months.
Hospital sources said at least eight people were
wounded and up to 50 others wounded in the raids.
"The bombing started yesterday and is still going on .
We are sitting in our houses and they used high-tech to
kill children and women. There is no resistance. Where is
the freedom? If this is freedom, we do not want it, " said
a resident of the city.
One local resident said he counted up to two dozen U.S.
tanks and other armoured vehicles on the streets in the
western part of Sadr City, a sprawling, poor neighbourhood
to the northeast of Baghdad's city centre where anti-American
insurgents have established large areas of control.
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