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CNN Live Sunday
Dozen Death Reported Yesterday in Iraq
Aired November 30, 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.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: And we begin in Iraq, where the deadliest month for coalition forces has gotten worse. A dozen deaths were reported yesterday. Among them, two U.S. soldiers killed by assailants who ambushed a U.S. military convoy near the Syrian border.
Also, near Tikrit, two Japanese diplomats were shot to death south of Baghdad. Seven Spanish intelligence agents were the victims of an ambush there. Their bodies are now on their way to Madrid.
Also today, there is word that a civilian from Colombia who worked at a U.S. company has died in an attack north of Baghdad. We had a news conference earlier today from Baghdad. And Nic Robertson now joins us with the very latest from the Iraqi capital.
And Nic, one thing coming out of there, at least from the U.S., that the coalition, its resolve remains firm.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. That's what coalition officials are saying. They're saying what they see in these different attacks, the attack killing a Colombian who worked for a U.S. contractor here, the killing of the two Japanese diplomats in the same area north of Baghdad, the killing of the seven Spanish intelligence officials south of Baghdad, saying that these all appear to be a pattern now of increasing attacks against softer targets, non-military targets that don't have the ability, the firepower to fire back in the way that U.S. troops are capable of with their heavier firepower.
Also coming out of that press conference, we heard confirmation that two South Korean contractors working in Iraq close to the northern town of Tikrit, north of Baghdad, may also have been injured. Now, coalition officials are saying they didn't have many details, but that they could confirm that they were getting reports in about that particular incident. So a weekend when many different targets being hit.
Now, perhaps slightly contradictory the message we're hearing there, Sean, during that press briefing, that coalition officials are saying that they're seeing softer targets being hit, but also saying that they are not seeing working together these desperate anti- coalition elements, not seeing them working together and cooperating on a large scale. However, the attacks against the Spanish intelligence officials, that took place 20 miles south of Baghdad. The attacks against the Japanese diplomats, 100 miles north of Baghdad. So perhaps what we are seeing is attacks against softer targets, but it is happening in different places around Iraq. And it does perhaps give an indication that maybe there is some working together or some central theme with these anti-coalition elements -- Sean.
CALLEBS: OK. Nic Robertson, it is 6:00 in the evening in Baghdad. It's only six hours away from the start of December. I'm sure that coalition and other troops there want to put the bloody month of November behind them. Nic Robertson, thanks very much for the latest there.
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 November 30, 2003 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: And we begin in Iraq, where the deadliest month for coalition forces has gotten worse. A dozen deaths were reported yesterday. Among them, two U.S. soldiers killed by assailants who ambushed a U.S. military convoy near the Syrian border.
Also, near Tikrit, two Japanese diplomats were shot to death south of Baghdad. Seven Spanish intelligence agents were the victims of an ambush there. Their bodies are now on their way to Madrid.
Also today, there is word that a civilian from Colombia who worked at a U.S. company has died in an attack north of Baghdad. We had a news conference earlier today from Baghdad. And Nic Robertson now joins us with the very latest from the Iraqi capital.
And Nic, one thing coming out of there, at least from the U.S., that the coalition, its resolve remains firm.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. That's what coalition officials are saying. They're saying what they see in these different attacks, the attack killing a Colombian who worked for a U.S. contractor here, the killing of the two Japanese diplomats in the same area north of Baghdad, the killing of the seven Spanish intelligence officials south of Baghdad, saying that these all appear to be a pattern now of increasing attacks against softer targets, non-military targets that don't have the ability, the firepower to fire back in the way that U.S. troops are capable of with their heavier firepower.
Also coming out of that press conference, we heard confirmation that two South Korean contractors working in Iraq close to the northern town of Tikrit, north of Baghdad, may also have been injured. Now, coalition officials are saying they didn't have many details, but that they could confirm that they were getting reports in about that particular incident. So a weekend when many different targets being hit.
Now, perhaps slightly contradictory the message we're hearing there, Sean, during that press briefing, that coalition officials are saying that they're seeing softer targets being hit, but also saying that they are not seeing working together these desperate anti- coalition elements, not seeing them working together and cooperating on a large scale. However, the attacks against the Spanish intelligence officials, that took place 20 miles south of Baghdad. The attacks against the Japanese diplomats, 100 miles north of Baghdad. So perhaps what we are seeing is attacks against softer targets, but it is happening in different places around Iraq. And it does perhaps give an indication that maybe there is some working together or some central theme with these anti-coalition elements -- Sean.
CALLEBS: OK. Nic Robertson, it is 6:00 in the evening in Baghdad. It's only six hours away from the start of December. I'm sure that coalition and other troops there want to put the bloody month of November behind them. Nic Robertson, thanks very much for the latest there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
