- Title: IRAQ: FIRST JOINT PATROL OF US AND IRAQI SOLDIERS IN NAJAF
- Date: 19th June 2004
- Summary: (EU) NAJAF, IRAQ (JUNE 19, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV IRAQI SOLDIER PATROLLING STREET 0.09 2. VARIOUS OF IRAQI POLICE SEARCHING BACK OF CAR 0.19 3. VARIOUS OF IRAQI POLICE AND IRAQI SOLDIERS IN STREET 0.26 4. SLV U.S SOLDIERS IN STREET 0.34 5. WIDE OF U.S SOLDIERS STANDING AROUND MILITATRY VEHICLE 0.40 6. VARIOUS OF IRAQI SOLDIERS STANDING AT CHECKPOINT 1.01 (EU) KIRKUK, IRAQ (JUNE 19, 2004) (REUTERS) 7. WIDE OF U.S. FORCES IN STREET WHERE ROADSIDE BOMBS EXPLODED 1.04 8. VARIOUS OF KURDISH FORCES IN STREET/ VEHICLE BLOCKING ROAD 1.16 9. VARIOUS OF KURDISH FORCES LOOKING FOR ROADSIDE BOMBS 1.34 10. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SERGEANT PETROVIA, SAYING: "This morning there was an unfortunate incident where there was an explosive along the road. My unit was sent to secure the area to ensure other civilians or anyone else was injured while our explosive ordinance team made sure the area was clear." 1.52 11. VARIOUS OF CONTROLLED EXPLOSIONS OF ROADSIDE BOMBS 2.27 12. WIDE OF U.S. MILITARY VEHICLES 2.36 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 4th July 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NAJAF AND KIRKUK, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVAB1H9GXWMFTZ4PLP0L3PZZ9NSY
- Story Text: U.S. soldiers join Iraqi security forces in the
first joint patrol in the flashpoint town of Najaf, while a
convoy of foreigners in civilian vehicles are hit by
roadside bombs.
U.S. and Iraqi forces took to the streets of Najaf
on Saturday (June 19) in the first joint patrol since a
10-week revolt between U.S.-led forces and Mehdi Army
militiamen.
The patrol began days after radical cleric Moqtada
al-Sadr sent his fighters home in what may mark the end of
the Shi'ite revolt against U.S.-led forces.
Sadr's ragtag fighters, mostly from the slums of
Baghdad and impoverished southern villages, had launched an
uprising on April 4, overrunning police stations and public
buildings in several towns in a bold challenge to U.S.-led
forces.
This month the unpredictable young cleric agreed a
truce with the U.S. military and Iraqi authorities after
weeks of fighting in the Shi'ite shrine cities of Najaf and
Kerbala.
Initially, Sadr took the U.S. military by surprise with
the scale of his revolt, launched after occupation
authorities closed the young preacher's newspaper, detained
one of his top aides and announced that he was wanted for
murder.
Hundreds of Sadr's black-clad militiamen with green
headbands were killed in battles that spread to a sprawling
ancient cemetery on the edge of Najaf and damaged mosques
and shrines sacred to millions of Shi'ites across the world.
In Kirkuk, U.S. forces were on hand after roadside
bombs exploded as a convoy of civilian vehicles carrying
foreigners drove by.
According to witnesses, two roadside bombs exploded
when two vehicles drove past. A third roadside bomb, later
discovered by U.S. forces, was neutralized by a controlled
explosion.
"This morning there was an unfortunate incident where
there was an explosive along the road. My unit was sent to
secure the area to ensure other civilians or anyone else
was injured while our explosive ordinance team made sure
the area was clear," said U.S. Sergeant Petrovia.
It was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt in the
attack.
The U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA)
employs thousands of contractors from many nations. Some
are involved in reconstruction projects, others are private
security guards.
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