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U.S. Troops in Iraq Attacked

Aired May 27, 2003 - 11:21   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Winds of change notwithstanding, Iraq is still a dangerous place. There was proof again today west of Baghdad in the city of Fallujah. Two U.S. soldiers were killed and nine others wounded when their unit came under attack.
CNN's Matthew Chance joins us live from Baghdad -- Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Fredricka.

And there has been a sharp increase in the number of attacks in the past 24 hours also against U.S. units patrolling the streets in tanks and cities, across the city. This country will start in Fallujah, a town to the west of Baghdad, about 70 kilometers to the west where it's emerged, confirmed now by U.S. forces that a force of -- a hostile force of unknown size attacked a U.S. Army patrol as it went through the streets of that town, opening fire on them, they say, according to the U.S., apparently from a mosque in the center of the town, firing at them with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns.

Obviously a firefight broke out, but two American soldiers were killed in that exchange. Two of the attackers, according to U.S. officials, were also killed. They also say they're holding six of those attackers in U.S. custody as well. It's also been confirmed during that incident, a U.S. Army helicopter was disabled, not by hostile fire, though, instead, by a U.S. Army Bradley Fighting Vehicle, which was maneuvering in that confusion, and apparently accidentally struck that helicopter as it was trying to medevac some of the injured away from the situation.

So a real picture of confusion emerging from that incident which took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning here local time, and followed just a few hours after another incident, this time on the outskirts of Baghdad, the capital, where we're told by U.S. officials, an attacker jumped out from the side of the road, and threw what they're calling a satchel bomb underneath a U.S. armored Humvee, exploding the vehicle, killing at least one U.S. soldier inside and injuring several others, underlining that fact that this country, although the major combat operations are finished, it's still a very, very dangerous place for U.S. troops on patrol or around the territories.

WHITFIELD: Still far from safe. Thanks very much, Matthew Chance in 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 May 27, 2003 - 11:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Winds of change notwithstanding, Iraq is still a dangerous place. There was proof again today west of Baghdad in the city of Fallujah. Two U.S. soldiers were killed and nine others wounded when their unit came under attack.
CNN's Matthew Chance joins us live from Baghdad -- Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Fredricka.

And there has been a sharp increase in the number of attacks in the past 24 hours also against U.S. units patrolling the streets in tanks and cities, across the city. This country will start in Fallujah, a town to the west of Baghdad, about 70 kilometers to the west where it's emerged, confirmed now by U.S. forces that a force of -- a hostile force of unknown size attacked a U.S. Army patrol as it went through the streets of that town, opening fire on them, they say, according to the U.S., apparently from a mosque in the center of the town, firing at them with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns.

Obviously a firefight broke out, but two American soldiers were killed in that exchange. Two of the attackers, according to U.S. officials, were also killed. They also say they're holding six of those attackers in U.S. custody as well. It's also been confirmed during that incident, a U.S. Army helicopter was disabled, not by hostile fire, though, instead, by a U.S. Army Bradley Fighting Vehicle, which was maneuvering in that confusion, and apparently accidentally struck that helicopter as it was trying to medevac some of the injured away from the situation.

So a real picture of confusion emerging from that incident which took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning here local time, and followed just a few hours after another incident, this time on the outskirts of Baghdad, the capital, where we're told by U.S. officials, an attacker jumped out from the side of the road, and threw what they're calling a satchel bomb underneath a U.S. armored Humvee, exploding the vehicle, killing at least one U.S. soldier inside and injuring several others, underlining that fact that this country, although the major combat operations are finished, it's still a very, very dangerous place for U.S. troops on patrol or around the territories.

WHITFIELD: Still far from safe. Thanks very much, Matthew Chance in 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