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American Morning
Russian Diplomatic Convoy Comes Under Fire
Aired April 06, 2003 - 11:00 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, folks, from the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Leon Harris.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Heidi Collins. And along with us this hour, Bill Hemmer, in Kuwait City. Hi, Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Heidi. Hello, Leon. Leon, as you mentioned, night falling again in Baghdad, and Walt Rodgers reporting about two hours ago that U.S. forces now have circled the entire city of Baghdad. Which essentially, based on the reporting we're getting, would stop any movement in or out of that city. This follows the report from the Iraqis earlier today that said they were going to issue their own curfew to keep their own residents bottled up inside between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Nonetheless, there appears to be very little movement, outside of military action, around Baghdad. We'll get you there in a few minutes, live in Kuwait. Leon, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Bill. Thanks so much.
We want to take a look now at what's happening at this hour in the war in Iraq.
HARRIS: Here's what's coming up in this hour of CNN's coverage of the war in Iraq.
U.S. Army sources tell CNN that Baghdad is now encircled. The noose drawing tighter on Saddam Hussein's regime. We'll have a number of CNN correspondents accompanying combat troops checking in from the frontlines as they converge.
And from the fog of war emerges a clear image of its dangers. An apparent friendly fire incident leaves dozens of Kurdish fighters dead and wounded. And we'll compile the latest information on that for you.
A vanishing - rather, from the heat of the battle to the heartbreak of families back home. One military base has had to bear an exceptionally high cost in this conflict. We go to Texas, Fort Blix -- Fort Bliss, rather, where exhilaration there is giving way to anguish.
And now our continuing coverage of the war in Iraq rolls on.
Here at CNN, we sift through countless feeds and satellite signals to bring you the most outstanding images of the day. The face of war and worry here, as coalition forces sweep house to house, always unsure of who the enemy is, and who's really a victim of that enemy's reign. Once the search turns up nothing suspicious, this family, although frightened, they were allowed to return back home.
A vanishing image of Baghdad, testimonial to coalition firepower in a city under siege. These are images of the Iraqi capital, Al Arabi TV, the last network still operating in the city.
And here, the coalition literally realizing its vision of toppling Iraq's regime and all it stands for. Even though the city of Basra has not officially fallen to coalition forces, this towering monument of Saddam Hussein has.
Now, let's begin with a broad overview from CNN's Bill Hemmer, still on duty in Kuwait City. Bill?
HEMMER: Hey, Leon. Thanks again.
There appears to be two stories right now operating in and around Baghdad. The story you just mentioned, about the U.S. forces, army and Marines surrounding that city and cutting off any roads in and out. A city of 5 million, by the way, no easy or small task.
The other story from earlier today did show, yet again, that U.S. forces have been repositioning themselves, sometimes crossing through the city to do just that. Let's get you west of the capital now. Walt Rodgers back with us yet again to talk about these events and more. Walt, good evening there.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill. Actually, U.S. Army sources told CNN almost two hours ago the city is completely encircled, and that the Marines and the Army now control all entrances and exits to the city of Baghdad. One operative quote from a senior officer was, nothing goes in those roads or out of those roads if it wants to live.
Now, what we're seeing, of course, is that bringing the army into much closer contact with the civilian population, particularly the 7th Cavalry here on the western outskirts of Baghdad, western suburbs.
I'm joined now by a civil affairs officer of the army, Captain Richard Cote, who has actually been dealing with the Iraqi civilian population. The one question our viewers seem to have is, how are the Iraqis dealing with you? How are they reacting to you?
CAPTAIN RICHARD COTE, U.S. ARMY: Right now, they're very friendly to us. They want Saddam's regime out as much as we did.
RODGERS: What did they tell you that makes you say that?
COTE: Today we had a group of them come up and tell us where some caches of RPGs and weapons were at. They showed us to them, they actually gathered them up for us, and we took them and disposed of them. They had rounds landed near the houses that were duds or didn't explode. We went and cleared those out for them so they had a safe passage to and from their houses. We've also been working with them, securing automobiles and stuff so they can take their wounded to the hospitals.
RODGERS: Were there many wounded civilians out there?
COTE: We saw probably a handful of wounded civilians, some women and children among them.
RODGERS: I understand one of the reasons you went out there was to encourage the Iraqis to come collect the dead soldiers, because of the cultural strictures of Islam that someone needs to be buried, they need to be washed first, and they need to have an Islamic burial ceremony. That's what the Army was doing, wasn't it?
COTE: Roger that, sir. We were out there last night about this time, starting the process. It got dark. We didn't want to work in the dark, they didn't want to work in the dark. Same vehicles they're using to take people to hospital, when they finished, they started using them to pick up their dead and bury them, and try to get some I.D.s and notify their family members of where the bodies are at. It's been a slow process. We had a brigade moving through, so we could only do the outsides of the roads.
RODGERS: How do you deal with those dead Iraqi soldiers? They've been lying there in 90-degree sun two and three days straight. Do the Iraqis show any reluctance to come up and collect their dead?
COTE: No, when we got on speakers with the PsyOp team and told them to please come get their dead out of respect, there's hundreds of them coming out. So we selected a hand -- few of about seven or eight gentlemen, they came and started collecting the bodies, and they were more than happy to come get them.
RODGERS: What makes you think they're glad to see Saddam go?
COTE: Just their reaction towards us. Where we're at today, the parties that are faithful to Saddam live on one side of the road, and the Shias who Saddam does not care for, they were the ones helping us out. The other guys were taking pot shots at us every once in a while.
RODGERS: The Sunnis being the remnants of Saddam's. . .
COTE: Right. The Fedayeens. Some of the Fedayeens were mixed in a mosque, taking shots at us.
RODGERS: The Shias, the ones who had been mistreated by the Iraqi regime, they're helping you, very enthusiastic?
COTE: Very enthusiastically. They're offering us food and water, and to come into their houses and have dinner and stuff. But right now, our mission isn't that right now. It will turn into that later. But very, very open hearted folks.
RODGERS: What next for the civil affairs unit of the army?
COTE: Once we get into the civil affairs, the humanitarian issues, we will start coming back and assessing the power stations, the roadways, canals, anything like that, we'll come back through and make sure the infrastructure is sound. And we'll start putting these people to work. We don't do the work, we find the work for them and find out who in the city is a contractor can build, do roadwork, and we actually hire them.
RODGERS: Just out of curiosity, if the Shias are friendly to the Americans, and the Sunni Muslims on the other side of the road are hostile and shooting at you, what does this bode, to you, for the future of this country?
COTE: They've got a lot of personal issues to work out. I would say a lot of the Sunnis are the ones against us. They have the Fedayeens literally behind them with pistols telling the Sunnis to shoot, or they're going to shoot their families and wives and kids, things like that.
RODGERS: You're actually encountering that?
COTE: That's what they're all coming -- we thought people were trying to cross the roads and get in our area, and we ask, you know, what's going on in the towns? And they're actually saying that the soldiers are behind the citizens and making them shoot at us, so they don't get killed, so the people who are getting killed are basically the innocent civilians forced out there by Saddam's people.
RODGERS: Remarkable story. Captain Richard Cote, the U.S. Army Civil Affairs division. He's been out mingling with Iraqi citizens all day, helping them recover their dead, who had been laying there several days.
Again, it's dusk here in the Baghdad area. We can hear the guns beginning to rumble. There is a pattern of warfare here, emerging now that Baghdad is more or less a captive of the United States army. The pattern we're seeing is as soon as nightfall comes, the Iraqi irregulars, the partisans, the remnants of the Republican Guard, the Fedayeen, those who have not run away, have begun employing guerrilla tactics. Back to you, Bill.
HEMMER: Walt, listen, hang with me a second. Just so the viewers know, you mentioned the artillery fire. We're getting reports of that same thing, and hearing sounds of it, at least in the center of part Baghdad, where our camera's now positioned there, with that mosque in the background.
Also getting some reports through Reuters right now that there is artillery fire in the southeastern part of Baghdad, as well, where the Marines might now be engaged in a battle for a bridge over the Tigris.
Walt, before I let you go, I want to ask you again about this Russian convoy of diplomats who were heading out of Baghdad earlier today. They came under fire. Don't know who fired upon them, but you have some information, what did you find out?
RODGERS: Bill, as soon as that incident was reported here, I checked with the United States Army, or at least the 7th Cavalry. They said they were aware that there was a convoy of Russian diplomats, led by the ambassador, trying to exit the city, head west, perhaps to Damascus. The word they had was that it was Iraqis that tried to fire on them, perhaps some of the Iraqi irregulars.
The Army says they flatly did not fire on any Russian diplomatic convoy or any other civilian convoy, but they did say that when the Russian diplomats tried to flee the city and when they came under fire, they got scared and turned around and headed back into Baghdad.
Now, I can tell you that the roads which the Russian diplomats traveled were very unsafe. There are many Iraqi irregulars, Fedayeen around who think nothing about firing on any civilian vehicles in the area. These roads in Iraq are unsafe even before the fall of Saddam Hussein, even before the war. I used to travel in here, and I know there are many robberies along those roads. And I suspect, as law and order breaks down, such as it was even under the Saddam Hussein regime, there are going to be a lot more incidents of people being shot at and held up if they try to move along these roads.
Again, the U.S. Army says it was definitely not U.S. troops that fired on the Russian diplomats. They believe it was the same Iraqis, the Fedayeen who are shooting at the U.S. Army. Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Walt, thanks. As you pointed out throughout the day today, it is the Wild West again in the area of Iraq where you are located. Walt Rodgers, just west of the capital city as we leave this picture up in Baghdad.
Quite clearly, we can hear the sounds of the call to prayer at sundown tonight. Some indications, too, that there might be some sort of artillery or gunshots in the background as well. Some reports that maybe some explosions again are starting to hit the Iraqi capital. This would again follow the pattern that Walt was talking about, once the sun goes down, the fighting appears to pick up at times with the Fedayeen soldiers, Fedayeen fighters, who are still around in Baghdad willing to continue to fight there in the Iraqi capital.
We're going to leave this image up for you, leave the sound up as well. Jill Dougherty is joining us now from Moscow. Jill, I'm certain that you were just listening continuing to what Walt was saying about this convoy of Russian diplomats. What more are you learning there, back in Moscow?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Bill, the one thing that we cannot confirm from what Walt said was that those journalists and diplomats actually headed back to Baghdad.
We do understand that this hour from the Russian foreign ministry they are now located in the town of Fallujah, which is west of Baghdad. They're going to -- they have been getting medical treatment and emergency medical treatment. They're going to be spending the night and then Monday, the Russian emergencies ministry is sending a plane to Damascus, Syria, which is where they were headed. They will of course, be going over land to Damascus and then will be picked up by that plane and taken back to Moscow.
We are told that there are doctors and medical equipment aboard that plane, the Russian emergencies ministry plane. And then they will be heading back here to Moscow on Monday. Now, just to wrap exactly what happened, as we know it, at this point, there were 25 Russian diplomats and journalists led by the Russian ambassador to Iraq. They were leaving Baghdad in a convoy, and heading west towards Damascus, Syria. They came under fire, we believe, about 20 miles from Baghdad, and then four to five people were injured in that attack. The Russian foreign ministry tells us that they are not serious injuries.
Who was -- who attacked them? Simply not known at this point, although you heard from Walter and here in Moscow, the U.S. Embassy is saying that the U.S. forces were aware that that convoy was going to be leaving. And they pretty much knew the route, west, and that also the U.S. did not have any military operations in that area.
Now, the Russian foreign ministry, right after it happened, summoned the U.S. ambassador and the Iraqi ambassador to the foreign ministry here in Moscow. And after that meeting, a U.S. ambassador came out, Alexander Vershbow, and he made this statement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXANDER VERSHBOW, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA: We still are gathering information about the incidents that took place a few hours ago. We are obviously very concerned about those who have been wounded. We still do not know which forces were involved, and we don't know anything about the circumstances of the incidents.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOUGHERTY: And the U.S. Embassy here in Moscow tells CNN that they are now trying to establish direct communication between the U.S. Military and that convoy, so that they can provide any type of help that they can. Back you to, Bill.
HEMMER: Jill, thanks. Jill Dougherty in Moscow.
Condoleezza Rice, again, the national security adviser, arriving in Moscow a short time ago. She will be there to hold meetings with high-ranking officials of the Russian government. We all know Moscow's position before this war began. It has softened somewhat from the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, since then. But again, Russia's position has been against this war at the outset.
We continue to monitor things in Baghdad. Meanwhile, north of Baghdad on the northern front, there is a tragic incident earlier today involving Kurdish soldiers, U.S. special forces, and an incident that's described as friendly fire. As the military says, blue on blue.
James Martone is working that side of the story. He joins us now, live from the northern front, where I believe, James, there was a briefing held by the Kurdish officials there. What have they said about this right now?
JAMES MARTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly right, Bill. Hoshyar Zebari, the spokesman for the KDP, that's the Kurdish faction that rules this part of northern Iraq, says that the death toll among the Kurdish fighters in that friendly fire incident are 18, the death toll has risen to 18. There are 45 injured, according to him.
Also among those injured is a very senior Kurdish military official, Mr. Wajy Barzani. He is also the younger brother of the KDP President, Massoud Barzani. Mr. Barzani was wounded in today's friendly fire, gravely, we are told. We were just told at this press conference he is now being flown to Germany for treatment.
Now, we also learned at this press conference some of the details of what happened, and they have been leaking throughout the day. Namely that it was a limited, what he called a limited offensive of U.S. troops with the Kurdish militia, that they had advanced in an area 25 kilometers southwest of where I am, that the Iraqi soldiers they were fighting had retreated but then came back. And the tragic thing, as he pointed out was that it was the U.S. and Kurds on the ground that called in the U.S. air support. Two of those planes came in and bombed, and in this friendly fire incident, ended up killing these 18 Kurdish fighters.
There are also reports that U.S. soldiers have been killed as well here. He did not -- he said he had no figures. Earlier in the day, he said there were casualties, but at this conference he is saying that he has no information about that.
Interesting, also, Bill, he said that this incident quite understandable, was how he put it. He said seeing the high technology of a war, something like that was understandable. He said that the event is however tragic, would not, he said, undermine the KDP's Kurdish fighters deal to be with the U.S. in the war, he said, in the joint goal, he called it, of overthrowing the regime in Baghdad. Bill.
HEMMER: James, quickly, if you could, here, we're still trying to get a firm number, if we can, as of the strength of the Iraqi military in the northern front. What is the best estimation you have been given right now, on your front, as to how strong it might be right now, the Iraqis?
MARTONE: The Iraqi forces, it's conflicting. What we do know is that the Kurdish forces on this side, that is, in making up this northern front, they say number in the thousands, in the -- over a thousand. We know that the U.S. forces working them are much limited. The number we have been hearing recently is 2,000 to 3,000 U.S. troops. That the major faction on the Kurdish side, the Kurdish fighters, as for the Iraqi side, it is not clear at least to me here on the ground, because there are conflicting reports of which troops have been brought in from where in different parts of central Iraq. The Kurds here on the northern front say that they are able to deal with the Iraqi forces, Bill.
HEMMER: OK. An elusive answer. Again, it continues to be that way. Hopefully the picture will get better clarified on the northern front, but James Martone, thanks by way of telephone, watching that story for us.
Here's Leon again at the CNN center. Leon?
HARRIS: Yes, Bill. We're going to the Pentagon right now and see what the latest word is on this friendly fire incident as well as any of the other developments in the overnight. Let's go to Patty Davis, standing by there. Patty, what's the word there?
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, U.S. Central Command is now saying that it may have indeed been responsible for the bombing of the U.S. special operations teams there near Mosul, as well as the Kurdish troops. The latest numbers now on casualties and deaths from U.S. Central Command are one civilian may have been killed, and in terms, the rest of these are injuries. One U.S. soldier injured, four Kurdish troops injured, and four civilians injured.
Now, as for the apparent attack on a convoy of Russian diplomats, U.S. Central Command says that no coalition forces were operating there at the time.
Now, meanwhile, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Peter Pace today saying on one of the Sunday talk shows that Iraqi freedom fighters are being air lifted into southern Iraq to join coalition troops. And he put that number at about less than 500.
Meanwhile, talk here at the Pentagon on other Sunday talk shows turning to the future of Iraq. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz saying that it could take more than six months for an Iraqi interim government to be put in place. Leon.
HARRIS: Patty, let me ask you something else, real quickly, if I can. Any word -- I'd like to know what you are getting on the thinking about the release of the numbers of casualties. All of a sudden, we have heard this morning that thousands and thousands of Iraqis were killed in some of these incursions that the troops have been making now in the western and southern sides of Baghdad. Are we going to be hearing more information about casualty numbers, and why all of the sudden, are the numbers coming out, and why are they so large? What do you think?
DAVIS: U.S. Central Command, as far as the American casualties, are being careful because they want to alert the families first. As far as the Iraqi casualties, I simply think they're updating those periodically, and they are a very large number. 6,000 prisoners, I believe, POWs. Some 2,000 Iraqis killed or injured. And I believe at this point, what this simply is, is U.S. Central Command's attempt to update people at this point. Leon.
HARRIS: Thanks, Patty. Patty Davis at the Pentagon.
Coming up here on the network, troops on the ground in Baghdad. We'll keep you up-to-date on the latest movements there. Also from the front lines, we'll check in with more of our embedded reporters ahead. CNN's special coverage of the war in Iraq continues after this short break.
As we go to break here, we show you live pictures, once again from Baghdad. There as night is beginning to fall, 7:22 p.m., we're hearing either the call to prayer or call out for God's help. And behind that, sounds of a call and human plea that, you are hearing the sound of bombs as well in the background. Stay tuned. Much more coverage coming up in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Four days after a commando raid rescued American POW Jessica lynch, the 19-year-old West Virginia native is being reunited with her family. Lynch's parents and two siblings have arrived at Ramstein air base in Germany.
Before boarding the plane, though, her father got quite emotional when he was told that bodies found during his daughter's rescue included seven members of her unit. Lynch was rescued after an Iraqi man secretly got word of her location to coalition forces. A Florida man is offering a $10,000 reward now to the man, who may well have saved her life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN LARKIN, OFFERING REWARD: Although we come from different countries with different ideologies, we share the same sincerity and value of life, and I want to reinforce to him that he won't be forgotten you know, the day after tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Lynch's recovery will be tested by the heart-wrenching news that seven members of her unit are dead. That news is resonating deeply at Fort Bliss, Texas, the home base of the 507th Maintenance Company. That is also where we find CNN's Ed Lavandera today. Hi, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi. It was two weeks ago today that the Fort Bliss military community here learned that 15 members of the 507th Maintenance Company had been ambushed outside of Nasiriya in southern Iraq. Shortly after that, they learned that five of those soldiers are prisoners of war. And for a while, eight of the soldiers were considered missing in action, until Wednesday, when Jessica Lynch was recovered and the bodies of her comrades, the other seven soldiers, were also found along with them.
A lot of family members, I think, taking solace in the fact, the description coming out of Central Command, that special operations forces that had gone in to rescue Jessica Lynch dug those bodies up with their bare hands to get them out of that situation in that one same mission. One of the officials from Central Command saying a testament to what soldiers and troops will to do help out fellow soldiers in situations like this.
Church services here on the base at Fort Bliss started about an hour ago, the first service wrapping up this morning. Extra poignant this morning. The bishop of El Paso coming to the catholic service here and speaking with family members who have come here to this church service. The bishop actually wanted to do this, scheduled this six weeks ago. Wanted to speak with all the family members. Not only from the 507th Maintenance Company, but there's so many family members from this base in particular, that the bishop felt that needed to be able to get through the difficult times of deployment and being overseas and times of war. But the bishop wanted to come to speak with them directly. But obviously the church services this morning, more poignant considering what these families have learned over the course of the last 48 hours. The bishop saying that the hearts go out to the all the other family members, especially for those who are dealing with so much at this point in time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BISHOP ARMANDO OCHOA, EL PASO, TEXAS: The faith community of the diocese of El Paso joins, certainly, with the Fort Bliss extended family, praying and asking God to have mercy upon those he has called. And secondly, asking for a safe return for those sisters and brothers who are your extended, my extended brothers and sisters. And thirdly, we pray for the families, that they may be supported, the spouses, the children, grandparents, and extended families.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Now, if you look behind me here, this is the memorial field here at Fort Bliss, just across the street from the chapel where services are being held this morning. Flags are at half-staff, just below the American flag, the POW/MIA flag flying. With it, a sense here of the loss that the military family here at Fort Bliss has endured over the course of the last two weeks.
Having said that, there is still the hope out there, and the thoughts are very much with the five soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company. They're still prisoners of war, and five families that desperately want to hear good news from that situation.
But here they are also preparing for a memorial service, Heidi, later on on Friday, which will be the official memorial service for the fallen soldiers of the 507th Maintenance Company. Heidi.
COLLINS: Ed, I do have a question for you. I'm not sure that you will have the answer to this, so bear with me. In the introduction to your story, we had talked about the Florida man who's offering that $10,000 reward to the Iraqi who secretly got word of Jessica Lynch's whereabouts to coalition forces. Do you have any idea about this man, or any more information on him?
LAVANDERA: No, nothing that's been coming out of here. In fact, the military officials at this base have been kind of -- have had to defer to a lot of the information from that standpoint to come from the Pentagon and other military sources here. That kind of information isn't coming from here.
COLLINS: All right. Ed Lavandera, thanks so much for that report.
We want to move on now to some other difficult issues. As we just have seen, such a tough time for people at Fort Bliss, Texas. We welcome now the chaplain at Fort Bliss, Colonel Fred Hudson. Sir, thank you for being with us today.
COLONEL FRED HUDSON, CHAPLAIN, FORT BLISS: Good morning. It's good to be with you.
COLLINS: I'm wondering if you could tell us a little bit about today's mass. Did you have a chance to mention the 507th Maintenance division?
HUDSON: Yes. It was good to have Bishop O'Toole with us today. He spoke about brothers and sisters, throughout the world, remembering that during this time of the year of suffering, there's always hope after suffering. And to coin on a phrase of a popular book, I think it's very appropriate at this time for us to say that, brothers and sisters, we in the military really feel the sense of the fact that we are a band of brothers, and sisters.
As I look behind at the flag that's flying half-mast, here at Fort Bliss, and the POW flag. That, maybe more than ever, the closeness in the community, the concern, the support, and the love for each other in the community is very deep, very significant, very moving at this time.
COLLINS: Chaplain Hudson, I'm wondering if you've had a chance to speak with any of the families of the 507th, and if so, how are they doing?
HUDSON: Well, the families -- To answer your question, yes, I have spoken and my chaplains have spoken with them. And how are they doing? They're grieving. The families who have lost loved ones are grieving. The community grieves with them. And our hearts and our love goes out to them.
Those who family members are POW's are very anxious, waiting momentarily day by day for some news about how their loved one is, what's their condition, how are they being treated, when will they be coming home?
Those who have been informed just the last couple of days of the death of their loved one, now healing begins as they go through this terrible time of mourning and loss.
I think all of the families are aware of the fact of just how much the community loves them and supports them and wishes that we could say anything to them other than what has been said.
COLLINS: I'm sure they are very appreciative of your comforting comments at this time. Colonel Hudson, we certainly appreciate your time, as well.
HUDSON: Thank you.
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Aired April 6, 2003 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, folks, from the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Leon Harris.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Heidi Collins. And along with us this hour, Bill Hemmer, in Kuwait City. Hi, Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Heidi. Hello, Leon. Leon, as you mentioned, night falling again in Baghdad, and Walt Rodgers reporting about two hours ago that U.S. forces now have circled the entire city of Baghdad. Which essentially, based on the reporting we're getting, would stop any movement in or out of that city. This follows the report from the Iraqis earlier today that said they were going to issue their own curfew to keep their own residents bottled up inside between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Nonetheless, there appears to be very little movement, outside of military action, around Baghdad. We'll get you there in a few minutes, live in Kuwait. Leon, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Bill. Thanks so much.
We want to take a look now at what's happening at this hour in the war in Iraq.
HARRIS: Here's what's coming up in this hour of CNN's coverage of the war in Iraq.
U.S. Army sources tell CNN that Baghdad is now encircled. The noose drawing tighter on Saddam Hussein's regime. We'll have a number of CNN correspondents accompanying combat troops checking in from the frontlines as they converge.
And from the fog of war emerges a clear image of its dangers. An apparent friendly fire incident leaves dozens of Kurdish fighters dead and wounded. And we'll compile the latest information on that for you.
A vanishing - rather, from the heat of the battle to the heartbreak of families back home. One military base has had to bear an exceptionally high cost in this conflict. We go to Texas, Fort Blix -- Fort Bliss, rather, where exhilaration there is giving way to anguish.
And now our continuing coverage of the war in Iraq rolls on.
Here at CNN, we sift through countless feeds and satellite signals to bring you the most outstanding images of the day. The face of war and worry here, as coalition forces sweep house to house, always unsure of who the enemy is, and who's really a victim of that enemy's reign. Once the search turns up nothing suspicious, this family, although frightened, they were allowed to return back home.
A vanishing image of Baghdad, testimonial to coalition firepower in a city under siege. These are images of the Iraqi capital, Al Arabi TV, the last network still operating in the city.
And here, the coalition literally realizing its vision of toppling Iraq's regime and all it stands for. Even though the city of Basra has not officially fallen to coalition forces, this towering monument of Saddam Hussein has.
Now, let's begin with a broad overview from CNN's Bill Hemmer, still on duty in Kuwait City. Bill?
HEMMER: Hey, Leon. Thanks again.
There appears to be two stories right now operating in and around Baghdad. The story you just mentioned, about the U.S. forces, army and Marines surrounding that city and cutting off any roads in and out. A city of 5 million, by the way, no easy or small task.
The other story from earlier today did show, yet again, that U.S. forces have been repositioning themselves, sometimes crossing through the city to do just that. Let's get you west of the capital now. Walt Rodgers back with us yet again to talk about these events and more. Walt, good evening there.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill. Actually, U.S. Army sources told CNN almost two hours ago the city is completely encircled, and that the Marines and the Army now control all entrances and exits to the city of Baghdad. One operative quote from a senior officer was, nothing goes in those roads or out of those roads if it wants to live.
Now, what we're seeing, of course, is that bringing the army into much closer contact with the civilian population, particularly the 7th Cavalry here on the western outskirts of Baghdad, western suburbs.
I'm joined now by a civil affairs officer of the army, Captain Richard Cote, who has actually been dealing with the Iraqi civilian population. The one question our viewers seem to have is, how are the Iraqis dealing with you? How are they reacting to you?
CAPTAIN RICHARD COTE, U.S. ARMY: Right now, they're very friendly to us. They want Saddam's regime out as much as we did.
RODGERS: What did they tell you that makes you say that?
COTE: Today we had a group of them come up and tell us where some caches of RPGs and weapons were at. They showed us to them, they actually gathered them up for us, and we took them and disposed of them. They had rounds landed near the houses that were duds or didn't explode. We went and cleared those out for them so they had a safe passage to and from their houses. We've also been working with them, securing automobiles and stuff so they can take their wounded to the hospitals.
RODGERS: Were there many wounded civilians out there?
COTE: We saw probably a handful of wounded civilians, some women and children among them.
RODGERS: I understand one of the reasons you went out there was to encourage the Iraqis to come collect the dead soldiers, because of the cultural strictures of Islam that someone needs to be buried, they need to be washed first, and they need to have an Islamic burial ceremony. That's what the Army was doing, wasn't it?
COTE: Roger that, sir. We were out there last night about this time, starting the process. It got dark. We didn't want to work in the dark, they didn't want to work in the dark. Same vehicles they're using to take people to hospital, when they finished, they started using them to pick up their dead and bury them, and try to get some I.D.s and notify their family members of where the bodies are at. It's been a slow process. We had a brigade moving through, so we could only do the outsides of the roads.
RODGERS: How do you deal with those dead Iraqi soldiers? They've been lying there in 90-degree sun two and three days straight. Do the Iraqis show any reluctance to come up and collect their dead?
COTE: No, when we got on speakers with the PsyOp team and told them to please come get their dead out of respect, there's hundreds of them coming out. So we selected a hand -- few of about seven or eight gentlemen, they came and started collecting the bodies, and they were more than happy to come get them.
RODGERS: What makes you think they're glad to see Saddam go?
COTE: Just their reaction towards us. Where we're at today, the parties that are faithful to Saddam live on one side of the road, and the Shias who Saddam does not care for, they were the ones helping us out. The other guys were taking pot shots at us every once in a while.
RODGERS: The Sunnis being the remnants of Saddam's. . .
COTE: Right. The Fedayeens. Some of the Fedayeens were mixed in a mosque, taking shots at us.
RODGERS: The Shias, the ones who had been mistreated by the Iraqi regime, they're helping you, very enthusiastic?
COTE: Very enthusiastically. They're offering us food and water, and to come into their houses and have dinner and stuff. But right now, our mission isn't that right now. It will turn into that later. But very, very open hearted folks.
RODGERS: What next for the civil affairs unit of the army?
COTE: Once we get into the civil affairs, the humanitarian issues, we will start coming back and assessing the power stations, the roadways, canals, anything like that, we'll come back through and make sure the infrastructure is sound. And we'll start putting these people to work. We don't do the work, we find the work for them and find out who in the city is a contractor can build, do roadwork, and we actually hire them.
RODGERS: Just out of curiosity, if the Shias are friendly to the Americans, and the Sunni Muslims on the other side of the road are hostile and shooting at you, what does this bode, to you, for the future of this country?
COTE: They've got a lot of personal issues to work out. I would say a lot of the Sunnis are the ones against us. They have the Fedayeens literally behind them with pistols telling the Sunnis to shoot, or they're going to shoot their families and wives and kids, things like that.
RODGERS: You're actually encountering that?
COTE: That's what they're all coming -- we thought people were trying to cross the roads and get in our area, and we ask, you know, what's going on in the towns? And they're actually saying that the soldiers are behind the citizens and making them shoot at us, so they don't get killed, so the people who are getting killed are basically the innocent civilians forced out there by Saddam's people.
RODGERS: Remarkable story. Captain Richard Cote, the U.S. Army Civil Affairs division. He's been out mingling with Iraqi citizens all day, helping them recover their dead, who had been laying there several days.
Again, it's dusk here in the Baghdad area. We can hear the guns beginning to rumble. There is a pattern of warfare here, emerging now that Baghdad is more or less a captive of the United States army. The pattern we're seeing is as soon as nightfall comes, the Iraqi irregulars, the partisans, the remnants of the Republican Guard, the Fedayeen, those who have not run away, have begun employing guerrilla tactics. Back to you, Bill.
HEMMER: Walt, listen, hang with me a second. Just so the viewers know, you mentioned the artillery fire. We're getting reports of that same thing, and hearing sounds of it, at least in the center of part Baghdad, where our camera's now positioned there, with that mosque in the background.
Also getting some reports through Reuters right now that there is artillery fire in the southeastern part of Baghdad, as well, where the Marines might now be engaged in a battle for a bridge over the Tigris.
Walt, before I let you go, I want to ask you again about this Russian convoy of diplomats who were heading out of Baghdad earlier today. They came under fire. Don't know who fired upon them, but you have some information, what did you find out?
RODGERS: Bill, as soon as that incident was reported here, I checked with the United States Army, or at least the 7th Cavalry. They said they were aware that there was a convoy of Russian diplomats, led by the ambassador, trying to exit the city, head west, perhaps to Damascus. The word they had was that it was Iraqis that tried to fire on them, perhaps some of the Iraqi irregulars.
The Army says they flatly did not fire on any Russian diplomatic convoy or any other civilian convoy, but they did say that when the Russian diplomats tried to flee the city and when they came under fire, they got scared and turned around and headed back into Baghdad.
Now, I can tell you that the roads which the Russian diplomats traveled were very unsafe. There are many Iraqi irregulars, Fedayeen around who think nothing about firing on any civilian vehicles in the area. These roads in Iraq are unsafe even before the fall of Saddam Hussein, even before the war. I used to travel in here, and I know there are many robberies along those roads. And I suspect, as law and order breaks down, such as it was even under the Saddam Hussein regime, there are going to be a lot more incidents of people being shot at and held up if they try to move along these roads.
Again, the U.S. Army says it was definitely not U.S. troops that fired on the Russian diplomats. They believe it was the same Iraqis, the Fedayeen who are shooting at the U.S. Army. Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Walt, thanks. As you pointed out throughout the day today, it is the Wild West again in the area of Iraq where you are located. Walt Rodgers, just west of the capital city as we leave this picture up in Baghdad.
Quite clearly, we can hear the sounds of the call to prayer at sundown tonight. Some indications, too, that there might be some sort of artillery or gunshots in the background as well. Some reports that maybe some explosions again are starting to hit the Iraqi capital. This would again follow the pattern that Walt was talking about, once the sun goes down, the fighting appears to pick up at times with the Fedayeen soldiers, Fedayeen fighters, who are still around in Baghdad willing to continue to fight there in the Iraqi capital.
We're going to leave this image up for you, leave the sound up as well. Jill Dougherty is joining us now from Moscow. Jill, I'm certain that you were just listening continuing to what Walt was saying about this convoy of Russian diplomats. What more are you learning there, back in Moscow?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Bill, the one thing that we cannot confirm from what Walt said was that those journalists and diplomats actually headed back to Baghdad.
We do understand that this hour from the Russian foreign ministry they are now located in the town of Fallujah, which is west of Baghdad. They're going to -- they have been getting medical treatment and emergency medical treatment. They're going to be spending the night and then Monday, the Russian emergencies ministry is sending a plane to Damascus, Syria, which is where they were headed. They will of course, be going over land to Damascus and then will be picked up by that plane and taken back to Moscow.
We are told that there are doctors and medical equipment aboard that plane, the Russian emergencies ministry plane. And then they will be heading back here to Moscow on Monday. Now, just to wrap exactly what happened, as we know it, at this point, there were 25 Russian diplomats and journalists led by the Russian ambassador to Iraq. They were leaving Baghdad in a convoy, and heading west towards Damascus, Syria. They came under fire, we believe, about 20 miles from Baghdad, and then four to five people were injured in that attack. The Russian foreign ministry tells us that they are not serious injuries.
Who was -- who attacked them? Simply not known at this point, although you heard from Walter and here in Moscow, the U.S. Embassy is saying that the U.S. forces were aware that that convoy was going to be leaving. And they pretty much knew the route, west, and that also the U.S. did not have any military operations in that area.
Now, the Russian foreign ministry, right after it happened, summoned the U.S. ambassador and the Iraqi ambassador to the foreign ministry here in Moscow. And after that meeting, a U.S. ambassador came out, Alexander Vershbow, and he made this statement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALEXANDER VERSHBOW, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA: We still are gathering information about the incidents that took place a few hours ago. We are obviously very concerned about those who have been wounded. We still do not know which forces were involved, and we don't know anything about the circumstances of the incidents.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOUGHERTY: And the U.S. Embassy here in Moscow tells CNN that they are now trying to establish direct communication between the U.S. Military and that convoy, so that they can provide any type of help that they can. Back you to, Bill.
HEMMER: Jill, thanks. Jill Dougherty in Moscow.
Condoleezza Rice, again, the national security adviser, arriving in Moscow a short time ago. She will be there to hold meetings with high-ranking officials of the Russian government. We all know Moscow's position before this war began. It has softened somewhat from the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, since then. But again, Russia's position has been against this war at the outset.
We continue to monitor things in Baghdad. Meanwhile, north of Baghdad on the northern front, there is a tragic incident earlier today involving Kurdish soldiers, U.S. special forces, and an incident that's described as friendly fire. As the military says, blue on blue.
James Martone is working that side of the story. He joins us now, live from the northern front, where I believe, James, there was a briefing held by the Kurdish officials there. What have they said about this right now?
JAMES MARTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly right, Bill. Hoshyar Zebari, the spokesman for the KDP, that's the Kurdish faction that rules this part of northern Iraq, says that the death toll among the Kurdish fighters in that friendly fire incident are 18, the death toll has risen to 18. There are 45 injured, according to him.
Also among those injured is a very senior Kurdish military official, Mr. Wajy Barzani. He is also the younger brother of the KDP President, Massoud Barzani. Mr. Barzani was wounded in today's friendly fire, gravely, we are told. We were just told at this press conference he is now being flown to Germany for treatment.
Now, we also learned at this press conference some of the details of what happened, and they have been leaking throughout the day. Namely that it was a limited, what he called a limited offensive of U.S. troops with the Kurdish militia, that they had advanced in an area 25 kilometers southwest of where I am, that the Iraqi soldiers they were fighting had retreated but then came back. And the tragic thing, as he pointed out was that it was the U.S. and Kurds on the ground that called in the U.S. air support. Two of those planes came in and bombed, and in this friendly fire incident, ended up killing these 18 Kurdish fighters.
There are also reports that U.S. soldiers have been killed as well here. He did not -- he said he had no figures. Earlier in the day, he said there were casualties, but at this conference he is saying that he has no information about that.
Interesting, also, Bill, he said that this incident quite understandable, was how he put it. He said seeing the high technology of a war, something like that was understandable. He said that the event is however tragic, would not, he said, undermine the KDP's Kurdish fighters deal to be with the U.S. in the war, he said, in the joint goal, he called it, of overthrowing the regime in Baghdad. Bill.
HEMMER: James, quickly, if you could, here, we're still trying to get a firm number, if we can, as of the strength of the Iraqi military in the northern front. What is the best estimation you have been given right now, on your front, as to how strong it might be right now, the Iraqis?
MARTONE: The Iraqi forces, it's conflicting. What we do know is that the Kurdish forces on this side, that is, in making up this northern front, they say number in the thousands, in the -- over a thousand. We know that the U.S. forces working them are much limited. The number we have been hearing recently is 2,000 to 3,000 U.S. troops. That the major faction on the Kurdish side, the Kurdish fighters, as for the Iraqi side, it is not clear at least to me here on the ground, because there are conflicting reports of which troops have been brought in from where in different parts of central Iraq. The Kurds here on the northern front say that they are able to deal with the Iraqi forces, Bill.
HEMMER: OK. An elusive answer. Again, it continues to be that way. Hopefully the picture will get better clarified on the northern front, but James Martone, thanks by way of telephone, watching that story for us.
Here's Leon again at the CNN center. Leon?
HARRIS: Yes, Bill. We're going to the Pentagon right now and see what the latest word is on this friendly fire incident as well as any of the other developments in the overnight. Let's go to Patty Davis, standing by there. Patty, what's the word there?
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, U.S. Central Command is now saying that it may have indeed been responsible for the bombing of the U.S. special operations teams there near Mosul, as well as the Kurdish troops. The latest numbers now on casualties and deaths from U.S. Central Command are one civilian may have been killed, and in terms, the rest of these are injuries. One U.S. soldier injured, four Kurdish troops injured, and four civilians injured.
Now, as for the apparent attack on a convoy of Russian diplomats, U.S. Central Command says that no coalition forces were operating there at the time.
Now, meanwhile, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Peter Pace today saying on one of the Sunday talk shows that Iraqi freedom fighters are being air lifted into southern Iraq to join coalition troops. And he put that number at about less than 500.
Meanwhile, talk here at the Pentagon on other Sunday talk shows turning to the future of Iraq. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz saying that it could take more than six months for an Iraqi interim government to be put in place. Leon.
HARRIS: Patty, let me ask you something else, real quickly, if I can. Any word -- I'd like to know what you are getting on the thinking about the release of the numbers of casualties. All of a sudden, we have heard this morning that thousands and thousands of Iraqis were killed in some of these incursions that the troops have been making now in the western and southern sides of Baghdad. Are we going to be hearing more information about casualty numbers, and why all of the sudden, are the numbers coming out, and why are they so large? What do you think?
DAVIS: U.S. Central Command, as far as the American casualties, are being careful because they want to alert the families first. As far as the Iraqi casualties, I simply think they're updating those periodically, and they are a very large number. 6,000 prisoners, I believe, POWs. Some 2,000 Iraqis killed or injured. And I believe at this point, what this simply is, is U.S. Central Command's attempt to update people at this point. Leon.
HARRIS: Thanks, Patty. Patty Davis at the Pentagon.
Coming up here on the network, troops on the ground in Baghdad. We'll keep you up-to-date on the latest movements there. Also from the front lines, we'll check in with more of our embedded reporters ahead. CNN's special coverage of the war in Iraq continues after this short break.
As we go to break here, we show you live pictures, once again from Baghdad. There as night is beginning to fall, 7:22 p.m., we're hearing either the call to prayer or call out for God's help. And behind that, sounds of a call and human plea that, you are hearing the sound of bombs as well in the background. Stay tuned. Much more coverage coming up in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Four days after a commando raid rescued American POW Jessica lynch, the 19-year-old West Virginia native is being reunited with her family. Lynch's parents and two siblings have arrived at Ramstein air base in Germany.
Before boarding the plane, though, her father got quite emotional when he was told that bodies found during his daughter's rescue included seven members of her unit. Lynch was rescued after an Iraqi man secretly got word of her location to coalition forces. A Florida man is offering a $10,000 reward now to the man, who may well have saved her life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN LARKIN, OFFERING REWARD: Although we come from different countries with different ideologies, we share the same sincerity and value of life, and I want to reinforce to him that he won't be forgotten you know, the day after tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Lynch's recovery will be tested by the heart-wrenching news that seven members of her unit are dead. That news is resonating deeply at Fort Bliss, Texas, the home base of the 507th Maintenance Company. That is also where we find CNN's Ed Lavandera today. Hi, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi. It was two weeks ago today that the Fort Bliss military community here learned that 15 members of the 507th Maintenance Company had been ambushed outside of Nasiriya in southern Iraq. Shortly after that, they learned that five of those soldiers are prisoners of war. And for a while, eight of the soldiers were considered missing in action, until Wednesday, when Jessica Lynch was recovered and the bodies of her comrades, the other seven soldiers, were also found along with them.
A lot of family members, I think, taking solace in the fact, the description coming out of Central Command, that special operations forces that had gone in to rescue Jessica Lynch dug those bodies up with their bare hands to get them out of that situation in that one same mission. One of the officials from Central Command saying a testament to what soldiers and troops will to do help out fellow soldiers in situations like this.
Church services here on the base at Fort Bliss started about an hour ago, the first service wrapping up this morning. Extra poignant this morning. The bishop of El Paso coming to the catholic service here and speaking with family members who have come here to this church service. The bishop actually wanted to do this, scheduled this six weeks ago. Wanted to speak with all the family members. Not only from the 507th Maintenance Company, but there's so many family members from this base in particular, that the bishop felt that needed to be able to get through the difficult times of deployment and being overseas and times of war. But the bishop wanted to come to speak with them directly. But obviously the church services this morning, more poignant considering what these families have learned over the course of the last 48 hours. The bishop saying that the hearts go out to the all the other family members, especially for those who are dealing with so much at this point in time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BISHOP ARMANDO OCHOA, EL PASO, TEXAS: The faith community of the diocese of El Paso joins, certainly, with the Fort Bliss extended family, praying and asking God to have mercy upon those he has called. And secondly, asking for a safe return for those sisters and brothers who are your extended, my extended brothers and sisters. And thirdly, we pray for the families, that they may be supported, the spouses, the children, grandparents, and extended families.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Now, if you look behind me here, this is the memorial field here at Fort Bliss, just across the street from the chapel where services are being held this morning. Flags are at half-staff, just below the American flag, the POW/MIA flag flying. With it, a sense here of the loss that the military family here at Fort Bliss has endured over the course of the last two weeks.
Having said that, there is still the hope out there, and the thoughts are very much with the five soldiers from the 507th Maintenance Company. They're still prisoners of war, and five families that desperately want to hear good news from that situation.
But here they are also preparing for a memorial service, Heidi, later on on Friday, which will be the official memorial service for the fallen soldiers of the 507th Maintenance Company. Heidi.
COLLINS: Ed, I do have a question for you. I'm not sure that you will have the answer to this, so bear with me. In the introduction to your story, we had talked about the Florida man who's offering that $10,000 reward to the Iraqi who secretly got word of Jessica Lynch's whereabouts to coalition forces. Do you have any idea about this man, or any more information on him?
LAVANDERA: No, nothing that's been coming out of here. In fact, the military officials at this base have been kind of -- have had to defer to a lot of the information from that standpoint to come from the Pentagon and other military sources here. That kind of information isn't coming from here.
COLLINS: All right. Ed Lavandera, thanks so much for that report.
We want to move on now to some other difficult issues. As we just have seen, such a tough time for people at Fort Bliss, Texas. We welcome now the chaplain at Fort Bliss, Colonel Fred Hudson. Sir, thank you for being with us today.
COLONEL FRED HUDSON, CHAPLAIN, FORT BLISS: Good morning. It's good to be with you.
COLLINS: I'm wondering if you could tell us a little bit about today's mass. Did you have a chance to mention the 507th Maintenance division?
HUDSON: Yes. It was good to have Bishop O'Toole with us today. He spoke about brothers and sisters, throughout the world, remembering that during this time of the year of suffering, there's always hope after suffering. And to coin on a phrase of a popular book, I think it's very appropriate at this time for us to say that, brothers and sisters, we in the military really feel the sense of the fact that we are a band of brothers, and sisters.
As I look behind at the flag that's flying half-mast, here at Fort Bliss, and the POW flag. That, maybe more than ever, the closeness in the community, the concern, the support, and the love for each other in the community is very deep, very significant, very moving at this time.
COLLINS: Chaplain Hudson, I'm wondering if you've had a chance to speak with any of the families of the 507th, and if so, how are they doing?
HUDSON: Well, the families -- To answer your question, yes, I have spoken and my chaplains have spoken with them. And how are they doing? They're grieving. The families who have lost loved ones are grieving. The community grieves with them. And our hearts and our love goes out to them.
Those who family members are POW's are very anxious, waiting momentarily day by day for some news about how their loved one is, what's their condition, how are they being treated, when will they be coming home?
Those who have been informed just the last couple of days of the death of their loved one, now healing begins as they go through this terrible time of mourning and loss.
I think all of the families are aware of the fact of just how much the community loves them and supports them and wishes that we could say anything to them other than what has been said.
COLLINS: I'm sure they are very appreciative of your comforting comments at this time. Colonel Hudson, we certainly appreciate your time, as well.
HUDSON: Thank you.
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