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CNN Live Today
Three U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq
Aired October 02, 2003 - 10:00 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: There are some grim discoveries taking place in Iraq. The U.S. death toll there surges once again. Three U.S. soldiers have been killed in separate attacks. This now pushes the total number of American hostile death there past 200.
For the latest, let's go to Baghdad right now and check in with CNN's Michael Holmes, who's got the latest from the capital there for us -- Michael.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi to you, Leon.
Yes, the see the Iraqi death toll going up as well. I want to report to you an incident that took place in Fallujah earlier today, in the Sunni triangle, an area where there have been numerous attacks on coalition forces. This one involved a man who, by all witnesses, was firing at the mayor's office in Fallujah. Coalition forces opened fire, and at the end of the day, one Iraqi civilian, we're told by witnesses, was killed, and six others were wounded, including two policeman and a woman and her three children, so certainly an unfortunate incident taking place in Fallujah.
Now you mentioned the U.S. casualties, and there have been several in the last day or so. Let's start with Samarra, which is about 75 miles north of Baghdad. A U.S. soldier was killed when his convoy was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade there. He was evacuated to a military hospital, but died of his injuries.
Also, Leon, a soldier from the 1st Armored Division was killed, and another wounded, by a gunman right here in Baghdad, in the Al Mansoor district of Baghdad, normally a relatively rather quiet part of the city. This involved an assailant with a handgun who shot two soldiers at fairly close range. One died. One is being treated for wounds.
Now, earlier in the day, yesterday, a female soldier was killed, three others were hurt. That is when their convoy was rocked by an explosion near Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown. Two of those wounded are in pretty bad shape, we're told. One other was treated and allowed to return to duty.
Now the officer in charge of coalition forces here in Iraq talked about these continuing attacks today. Here's what Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, COALITION FORCES COMMANDER: There are more than what we'd like in terms of IEDs happening to us out here on a daily basis. You ask me, was that too close for comfort? Come on, I'm getting mortar rounds, we're getting our convoys attacked out there on the road. Any attack that hurts my soldiers is too close.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And there's no shortage of those attacks, Leon, as you can see by the events of the last 24 hours. And, even today, just a couple of minutes ago, more gunfire around Baghdad. It's certainly a fairly common sound around this city, and also around the country -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, with that in mind, we urge you and the rest of the crew there to be very careful. Thank you, Michael. Michael Holmes reporting live for us from 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 October 2, 2003 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: There are some grim discoveries taking place in Iraq. The U.S. death toll there surges once again. Three U.S. soldiers have been killed in separate attacks. This now pushes the total number of American hostile death there past 200.
For the latest, let's go to Baghdad right now and check in with CNN's Michael Holmes, who's got the latest from the capital there for us -- Michael.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi to you, Leon.
Yes, the see the Iraqi death toll going up as well. I want to report to you an incident that took place in Fallujah earlier today, in the Sunni triangle, an area where there have been numerous attacks on coalition forces. This one involved a man who, by all witnesses, was firing at the mayor's office in Fallujah. Coalition forces opened fire, and at the end of the day, one Iraqi civilian, we're told by witnesses, was killed, and six others were wounded, including two policeman and a woman and her three children, so certainly an unfortunate incident taking place in Fallujah.
Now you mentioned the U.S. casualties, and there have been several in the last day or so. Let's start with Samarra, which is about 75 miles north of Baghdad. A U.S. soldier was killed when his convoy was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade there. He was evacuated to a military hospital, but died of his injuries.
Also, Leon, a soldier from the 1st Armored Division was killed, and another wounded, by a gunman right here in Baghdad, in the Al Mansoor district of Baghdad, normally a relatively rather quiet part of the city. This involved an assailant with a handgun who shot two soldiers at fairly close range. One died. One is being treated for wounds.
Now, earlier in the day, yesterday, a female soldier was killed, three others were hurt. That is when their convoy was rocked by an explosion near Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown. Two of those wounded are in pretty bad shape, we're told. One other was treated and allowed to return to duty.
Now the officer in charge of coalition forces here in Iraq talked about these continuing attacks today. Here's what Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, COALITION FORCES COMMANDER: There are more than what we'd like in terms of IEDs happening to us out here on a daily basis. You ask me, was that too close for comfort? Come on, I'm getting mortar rounds, we're getting our convoys attacked out there on the road. Any attack that hurts my soldiers is too close.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And there's no shortage of those attacks, Leon, as you can see by the events of the last 24 hours. And, even today, just a couple of minutes ago, more gunfire around Baghdad. It's certainly a fairly common sound around this city, and also around the country -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, with that in mind, we urge you and the rest of the crew there to be very careful. Thank you, Michael. Michael Holmes reporting live for us from 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
