IRAQ: A U.S. MILITARY VEHICLE BLEW UP IN CENTRAL BAGHDAD THE CAUSE WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN

Record ID: 860533

  • Title: IRAQ: A U.S. MILITARY VEHICLE BLEW UP IN CENTRAL BAGHDAD THE CAUSE WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN
  • Date: 2nd July 2003
  • Summary: (W3) CENTRAL BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JULY 1, 2003) (REUTERS) WIDE VIEW SITE OF EXPLOSION; SLV CAR WHICH EXPLODED ON FIRE; SLV U.S. TROOPS AT SCENE; SLV VEHICLE WHICH EXPLODED ALONGSIDE CHARRED TRUCK; SLV U.S. TROOPS AT THE SCENE; SLV VEHICLE BURNING (10 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE)(Arabic) AKEEL SHAKUR, IRAQI EYE-WITNESS, SAYING "I was standing at the gate of Mustansiriyah University when we heard the explosion, and the Americans reacted immediately even though they didn't know yet who had been attacked." SCU U.S. SOLDIER SITTING IN ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER; SLV BURNT VEHICLE; SLV SMOKE RISING FROM WRECKAGE; SLV DAMAGE (7 SHOTS) SLV PEOPLE STANDING IN STREET, LOOKING ON
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CENTRAL BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • City:
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA4IXR00ZMQS27DH644VK5ULUW9
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: A U.S. military vehicle blew up in central Baghdad and one witness said U.S. troops pulled four badly wounded soldiers from the burning car.
    The armoured car exploded near al-Mustansiriyah University in the heart of the capital on Tuesday (July 1, 2003).
    The cause of the blast was not immediately clear. Some witnesses said an Iraqi car blew up next to the U.S. vehicle while others said a rocket-propelled grenade was used in the attack.
    "I was standing at the gate of Mustansiriyah University when we heard the explosion, and the Americans reacted immediately even though they didn't know yet who had been attacked," said eyewitness Akeel Shakur.
    U.S. soldiers cordoned off the area and began to investigate. They refused to comment on the incident.
    Earlier in the day, a U.S. soldier was lightly wounded when a military convoy was attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade near Baghdad airport, the U.S. military said.
    U.S. forces have come under fire almost daily in recent weeks in mainly Sunni Muslim central Iraq, a stronghold for ousted President Saddam Hussein when he was in power.
    At least 22 U.S. and six British troops have been killed by hostile fire since U.S. President George W. Bush declared major combat in Iraq over on May 1.
    The U.S. military, which has about 156,000 soldiers in Iraq, has launched several operations to stamp out attacks.
    The latest, Operation Desert Sidewinder, began on Sunday (June 29) with infantry soldiers backed by aircraft and armoured vehicles.
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