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CNN Live Today

U.S. Raids Net Dozens of Iraqi Insurgents

Aired December 11, 2003 - 11:07   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, CNN ANCHOR: Crackdown in Iraq. Dozens of insurgents are in custody now this morning after U.S. raids across the country.
CNN Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf joining us now with the very latest from there.

Jane, good afternoon to you.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Heidi.

I just wanted to tell you, first of all, about an apparent suicide bomb attack in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, and the U.S. military says that seems to have resulted in casualties, wounded U.S. soldiers, but no reports of deaths after that explosion at the gate of the military base.

And more raids, as you mentioned across the country. The latest ones in Ba'qubah, north of Baghdad, continuing to arrest suspected attackers. Those follow about 50 raids in the north and center of the country that have rounded up dozens of former Saddam fighters, according to military officials, and the 82nd Airborne says that they include the people they believe are responsible for an ambush of Spanish intelligence officers. That ambush resulted in the deaths of seven of those officers when they were hit by rocket propelled grenade fire.

And in another development, coalition officials say almost half of the recruits to the new Iraqi army have quit, citing bad pay, some of them. They're paid about $50 a month, a lot more than they used to be, but still, they say, not now live on in the new Iraq -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, CNN's Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf. Jane, thanks so much.

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 December 11, 2003 - 11:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Crackdown in Iraq. Dozens of insurgents are in custody now this morning after U.S. raids across the country.
CNN Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf joining us now with the very latest from there.

Jane, good afternoon to you.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Heidi.

I just wanted to tell you, first of all, about an apparent suicide bomb attack in Ramadi, west of Baghdad, and the U.S. military says that seems to have resulted in casualties, wounded U.S. soldiers, but no reports of deaths after that explosion at the gate of the military base.

And more raids, as you mentioned across the country. The latest ones in Ba'qubah, north of Baghdad, continuing to arrest suspected attackers. Those follow about 50 raids in the north and center of the country that have rounded up dozens of former Saddam fighters, according to military officials, and the 82nd Airborne says that they include the people they believe are responsible for an ambush of Spanish intelligence officers. That ambush resulted in the deaths of seven of those officers when they were hit by rocket propelled grenade fire.

And in another development, coalition officials say almost half of the recruits to the new Iraqi army have quit, citing bad pay, some of them. They're paid about $50 a month, a lot more than they used to be, but still, they say, not now live on in the new Iraq -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, CNN's Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf. Jane, thanks so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com