Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Small-Arms Fire Heard in Baghdad
Aired April 05, 2003 - 05:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to go right away to live pictures of Baghdad. This is where we're getting reports of gunfire. Also a report that coalition troops moving into the center of that city. From there we want to take it -- or we're going to listen -- let's listen into that for a little bit.
It sounds like we're seeing many -- like we're hearing many rounds of gunfire. Also, the sirens of local police there in Baghdad. This increased activity, as we get word through Associated Press, that coalition forces making their way into the center of the Iraqi capital.
We're also hearing reports of increased gunfire south of the city. And that's where we find our Martin Savidge. We'll be checking back with Baghdad. But first we want to check with Martin who is just in the suburbs south of the city.
Martin, when we talked with you just a few minutes it sounded like things were quiet. But it sounds like that's changed quite a bit since we last spoke.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is still relatively calm. It has not been as quiet as it has been maybe by the fact that what you hear in the background.
That is the sound of Marine artillery. We're with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines pushing out from the southeast -- heading into the southeast suburbs, extreme suburbs of Baghdad. As we roll ahead, there is an area up there where some of the units that went before us have run into some opposition, and specifically there's some areas where they are concerned about either remnants of the Republican Guard or maybe paramilitary units here. So obviously, in support of any military unit that rolls forward, you keep the artillery towards the rear and they can open fire and direct artillery fire directly on those positions with a great deal of accuracy.
So within the last half hour now, sporadically there has been the sound of the artillery fire going on. They're using what is referred to as RAP, that;s rocket assisted projectiles, which means that once they launch, the projectile has a rocket loader on it that actually kicks in and is able to send it even farther down range.
So it's just a sign of support fire. There is obviously perhaps Marine units up in and around more directly up by where the fighting is taking place and they're calling in these shots -- Daryn. KAGAN: All right. Martin, we'll check back with you as well as checking in with the center of Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 5, 2003 - 05:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to go right away to live pictures of Baghdad. This is where we're getting reports of gunfire. Also a report that coalition troops moving into the center of that city. From there we want to take it -- or we're going to listen -- let's listen into that for a little bit.
It sounds like we're seeing many -- like we're hearing many rounds of gunfire. Also, the sirens of local police there in Baghdad. This increased activity, as we get word through Associated Press, that coalition forces making their way into the center of the Iraqi capital.
We're also hearing reports of increased gunfire south of the city. And that's where we find our Martin Savidge. We'll be checking back with Baghdad. But first we want to check with Martin who is just in the suburbs south of the city.
Martin, when we talked with you just a few minutes it sounded like things were quiet. But it sounds like that's changed quite a bit since we last spoke.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is still relatively calm. It has not been as quiet as it has been maybe by the fact that what you hear in the background.
That is the sound of Marine artillery. We're with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines pushing out from the southeast -- heading into the southeast suburbs, extreme suburbs of Baghdad. As we roll ahead, there is an area up there where some of the units that went before us have run into some opposition, and specifically there's some areas where they are concerned about either remnants of the Republican Guard or maybe paramilitary units here. So obviously, in support of any military unit that rolls forward, you keep the artillery towards the rear and they can open fire and direct artillery fire directly on those positions with a great deal of accuracy.
So within the last half hour now, sporadically there has been the sound of the artillery fire going on. They're using what is referred to as RAP, that;s rocket assisted projectiles, which means that once they launch, the projectile has a rocket loader on it that actually kicks in and is able to send it even farther down range.
So it's just a sign of support fire. There is obviously perhaps Marine units up in and around more directly up by where the fighting is taking place and they're calling in these shots -- Daryn. KAGAN: All right. Martin, we'll check back with you as well as checking in with the center of Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
