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U.S. Patrol Attacked in Baghdad, Possibly Killing Two Soldiers
Aired July 28, 2003 - 06:31 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A manhunt for Saddam, as two more U.S. soldiers apparently wind up dead, killed in yet another hit-and- run attack. This time, someone tosses a grenade off of a bridge into an American Humvee below.
Live to Baghdad and Rym Brahimi.
Tell us more -- Rym.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, that's indeed what seemed to be happening. It happened about three hours ago in downtown Baghdad. The Humvee that the soldiers were in was actually not stationary, it was moving, and it was a supply Humvee, a supply vehicle.
Now, it appears, according to eyewitnesses, that indeed a grenade was thrown from a bridge above it into the Humvee. Eyewitnesses said they saw three soldiers just be ejected out of the vehicle. U.S. military officials have not confirmed the deaths of any soldiers. They're still investigating. But the military is also cordoning off the area, because they're looking for potential other explosive devices that they suspect might still be in that area.
Now, as we mentioned, that's been another deadly attack. There was another one yesterday in which one U.S. soldier was killed, another one wounded. All in all, Carol, the deadliest week for U.S. soldiers. In just eight days, 16 U.S. soldiers have been killed in similar attacks.
Now, this takes place at a moment when U.S. officials are also saying that the noose is tightening around Saddam Hussein. They've been conducting several raids, three of them pre-dawn raids conducted in the northern town of Tikrit, which is the birthplace of former President Saddam Hussein. They went to three separate farms, simultaneously conducting those raids, acting, military officials say, on intelligence that Saddam Hussein may have been in one of those farms. Now, it appears, according to residents, that they actually had just missed Saddam Hussein, and certainly his security chief, by barely 24 hours.
Another raid in Baghdad turned tragic when the U.S. military went to raid a house that belongs to a prominent tribal leader, believing, according to Iraqi police, that Saddam Hussein may have been hiding in that house. Well, they didn't turn up Saddam Hussein, but they did kill three Iraqi civilians in the raid -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad this morning. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Soldiers>
Aired July 28, 2003 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A manhunt for Saddam, as two more U.S. soldiers apparently wind up dead, killed in yet another hit-and- run attack. This time, someone tosses a grenade off of a bridge into an American Humvee below.
Live to Baghdad and Rym Brahimi.
Tell us more -- Rym.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, that's indeed what seemed to be happening. It happened about three hours ago in downtown Baghdad. The Humvee that the soldiers were in was actually not stationary, it was moving, and it was a supply Humvee, a supply vehicle.
Now, it appears, according to eyewitnesses, that indeed a grenade was thrown from a bridge above it into the Humvee. Eyewitnesses said they saw three soldiers just be ejected out of the vehicle. U.S. military officials have not confirmed the deaths of any soldiers. They're still investigating. But the military is also cordoning off the area, because they're looking for potential other explosive devices that they suspect might still be in that area.
Now, as we mentioned, that's been another deadly attack. There was another one yesterday in which one U.S. soldier was killed, another one wounded. All in all, Carol, the deadliest week for U.S. soldiers. In just eight days, 16 U.S. soldiers have been killed in similar attacks.
Now, this takes place at a moment when U.S. officials are also saying that the noose is tightening around Saddam Hussein. They've been conducting several raids, three of them pre-dawn raids conducted in the northern town of Tikrit, which is the birthplace of former President Saddam Hussein. They went to three separate farms, simultaneously conducting those raids, acting, military officials say, on intelligence that Saddam Hussein may have been in one of those farms. Now, it appears, according to residents, that they actually had just missed Saddam Hussein, and certainly his security chief, by barely 24 hours.
Another raid in Baghdad turned tragic when the U.S. military went to raid a house that belongs to a prominent tribal leader, believing, according to Iraqi police, that Saddam Hussein may have been hiding in that house. Well, they didn't turn up Saddam Hussein, but they did kill three Iraqi civilians in the raid -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi reporting live from Baghdad this morning. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Soldiers>
