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CNN Live Today
U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraqi Ambulance Attack
Aired June 19, 2003 - 10:14 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, ANCHOR: Turning to Iraq now, American troops under fire yet again. Although combat officially ended more than one month ago, U.S. forces are still facing unseen dangers.
There was a grim reminder of that just a few hours ago when we got word of another deadly ambush. This time, the target was a military ambulance carrying American troops just south of Baghdad.
Our Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, joining us from now from the Iraqi capitol with the very latest.
And Jane, this ambulance clearly marked, we understand?
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's what the military says, Heidi. They say it was carrying a patient injured in another incident to a field hospital about 30 miles south of Baghdad, near the town of el-Escandaria (ph), when it was hit with a rocket propelled grenade.
According to the military, one soldier from the 804th Medical Brigade was killed and another one wounded.
Now it certainly is a new twist. This would be the first indication of an ambulance, clearly marked, as the U.S. says, being targeted.
But it wasn't the only attempted attack today. Also in Baghdad, in the southern outskirts in the suburbs of Doura (ph), a military truck, a two and a half ton truck, was hit by what appeared to be an RPG, a rocket propelled grenade, as well. There don't appear to have been any casualties. That truck may have been unoccupied at the time that it was hit.
But Doura (ph) is the neighborhood where a U.S. soldier was killed just yesterday and another one wounded in what the U.S. says was a drive-by shooting. Witnesses say the shooting occurred after an argument between U.S. soldiers and a woman standing in line for cooking fuel -- Heidi.
COLLINS: You know, Jane, as I'm sure you well know, 52 U.S. American soldiers killed since May 1. Some more incidents that we're dealing with today.
What is it that the military is talking about as far as these soldiers protecting themselves? Any new plans in the works there?
ARRAF: I think it's important to remember, probably, that of those 52, almost all of them were killed in accidents. Perhaps about 16 is a rough estimate were killed in deliberate hostile attacks.
The thing is, though, there are a lot of attempted attacks that don't actually work, which means it still is a relatively unsafe environment for U.S. soldiers and for Iraqis, as well, in Baghdad and in other parts of the country.
Now U.S. officials have made clear that they are seeing a change in tactics. And this would be clearly be one of them. But previous changes in tactics have been cars stopping at checkpoints and asking for medical help and then the gunmen jumping out of the car and shooting U.S. soldiers.
So the military is having to adapt its own tactics, as well. What this means, unfortunately, is they're coming across as quite heavy-handed.
Now we have to remember, also, two Iraqis were killed in demonstration outside the palace yesterday. People in Baghdad still enraged at that, at U.S. soldiers firing into a crowd with live ammunition -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Obviously a very tense situation even at this point. Jane Arraf, live from Baghdad this morning. Thanks so much, Jane.
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 June 19, 2003 - 10:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, ANCHOR: Turning to Iraq now, American troops under fire yet again. Although combat officially ended more than one month ago, U.S. forces are still facing unseen dangers.
There was a grim reminder of that just a few hours ago when we got word of another deadly ambush. This time, the target was a military ambulance carrying American troops just south of Baghdad.
Our Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, joining us from now from the Iraqi capitol with the very latest.
And Jane, this ambulance clearly marked, we understand?
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's what the military says, Heidi. They say it was carrying a patient injured in another incident to a field hospital about 30 miles south of Baghdad, near the town of el-Escandaria (ph), when it was hit with a rocket propelled grenade.
According to the military, one soldier from the 804th Medical Brigade was killed and another one wounded.
Now it certainly is a new twist. This would be the first indication of an ambulance, clearly marked, as the U.S. says, being targeted.
But it wasn't the only attempted attack today. Also in Baghdad, in the southern outskirts in the suburbs of Doura (ph), a military truck, a two and a half ton truck, was hit by what appeared to be an RPG, a rocket propelled grenade, as well. There don't appear to have been any casualties. That truck may have been unoccupied at the time that it was hit.
But Doura (ph) is the neighborhood where a U.S. soldier was killed just yesterday and another one wounded in what the U.S. says was a drive-by shooting. Witnesses say the shooting occurred after an argument between U.S. soldiers and a woman standing in line for cooking fuel -- Heidi.
COLLINS: You know, Jane, as I'm sure you well know, 52 U.S. American soldiers killed since May 1. Some more incidents that we're dealing with today.
What is it that the military is talking about as far as these soldiers protecting themselves? Any new plans in the works there?
ARRAF: I think it's important to remember, probably, that of those 52, almost all of them were killed in accidents. Perhaps about 16 is a rough estimate were killed in deliberate hostile attacks.
The thing is, though, there are a lot of attempted attacks that don't actually work, which means it still is a relatively unsafe environment for U.S. soldiers and for Iraqis, as well, in Baghdad and in other parts of the country.
Now U.S. officials have made clear that they are seeing a change in tactics. And this would be clearly be one of them. But previous changes in tactics have been cars stopping at checkpoints and asking for medical help and then the gunmen jumping out of the car and shooting U.S. soldiers.
So the military is having to adapt its own tactics, as well. What this means, unfortunately, is they're coming across as quite heavy-handed.
Now we have to remember, also, two Iraqis were killed in demonstration outside the palace yesterday. People in Baghdad still enraged at that, at U.S. soldiers firing into a crowd with live ammunition -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Obviously a very tense situation even at this point. Jane Arraf, live from Baghdad this morning. Thanks so much, Jane.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
