IRAQ: THOUSANDS OF SACKED IRAQI SOLDIERS MARCH ON U.S.-LED ADMINISTRATION AND THREATEN TO LAUNCH SUICIDE ATTACKS ON US TROOPS

Record ID: 647813

  • Title: IRAQ: THOUSANDS OF SACKED IRAQI SOLDIERS MARCH ON U.S.-LED ADMINISTRATION AND THREATEN TO LAUNCH SUICIDE ATTACKS ON US TROOPS
  • Date: 3rd June 2003
  • Summary: (W3) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 2, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV DEMONSTRATORS RAISING BANNERS AND SHOUTING; DEMONSTRATOR SHOUTING SAYING 'RAISE YOUR HEAD' (MEANING IRAQI PEOPLE), 'YOUR ARMY AND YOUR PEOPLE ARE STILL THERE'; SLV DEMONSTRATORS SHOUTING, HOLDING BANNERS; MV DEMONSTRATOR RAISING BANNER READING: 'WE CALL FOR PAYMENT OF OUR SALARIES'; MV DEMONSTRATORS SHOUTING (9 SHOTS) 0.56 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic), UNIDENTIFIED DEMONSTRATOR, SAYING "We ask for our legitimate rights because we have big families. We, officers and other ranks, have spent 35 years in the military service of the old regime, Saddam Hussein's regime, and we did not get our rights." 1.13 3. SLV DEMONSTRATORS; MV DEMONSTRATORS WALKING (3 SHOTS) 1.24 4. SLV/MV U.S. SOLDIERS; U.S. SOLDIERS IN FRONT OF THE DEMONSTRATORS; DEMONSTRATION; MV U.S. SOLDIERS; SLV U.S. VEHICLES; MV U.S. TANK AND DEMONSTRATORS (10 SHOTS) 2.10 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA9OECXUIPVF5070HM0F681FN3C
  • Story Text: Thousands of sacked Iraqi soldiers marched on the
    U.S.-led administration and threatened to launch suicide
    attacks on American troops in Baghdad unless they were paid
    wages and compensation.

    More than 3,000 angry soldiers from the disbanded Iraqi
    army massed outside the administration headquarters on Monday
    (June 2, 2003), in a presidential palace, shouting slogans and
    vowing a wave of attacks on U.S. troops unless they got their
    money.

    They shouted and held banners calling for the payment of
    their salaries.

    One man said he believed the soldiers were now be entitled
    to their rights.

    "We ask for our legitimate rights because we have big
    families. We, officers and other ranks, have spent 35 years in
    the military service of the old regime, Saddam Hussein's
    regime, and we did not get our rights," he shouted angrily.

    Many protestors said they could no longer feed their
    families and demanded the Americans leave Iraq. Anger towards
    U.S. troops has boiled over into violence in parts of Iraq,
    which has descended into anarchy since the war ended with
    widespread looting and violence as well as power shortages.

    The protesters dispersed in the afternoon after talks were
    promised with the U.S.-led administration on Tuesday. But they
    vowed action if there demands were not met.

    Protesters carried banners calling for the swift formation
    of an elected Iraqi government, the immediate payment of
    salaries to former soldiers, and a halt to any moves to form a
    force to replace the army.

    One Iraqi was hurt during the protest, but witnesses
    disagreed as to what happened. Some said the injured man, who
    was lying in the road, was hit by a car. Others said they had
    seen a U.S. officer hit him with his rifle.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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