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CNN Live Saturday
Centcom, Iraqi Villagers Give Different Accounts of Deadly Incident
Aired June 14, 2003 - 18:04 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the continuing tensions in Iraq. A day after a deadly incident north of Baghdad, U.S. Central Command and Iraqi villagers are giving very different accounts of what actually happened. CNN's Ben Wedeman reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Grief has descended on the villagers of Al Hir. Gathered together for a wake to mourn the sudden violent death of five members of this tightly knit farming community.
Early Friday, the villagers told us, they were jarred awake by long bursts of heavy machine gun fire. According to a state from U.S. Central Command an American tank patrol in the area repulsed an ambush. In the process 23 people, described as Iraqi insurgents, were killed.
The villagers don't dispute that an ambush took place and insist they have no idea about the identity of the attackers. Two of whom, they say, were killed in the shooting. Also killed, they told us, were five unarmed villagers. A man in his 70s, three of his adult sons and a grandson, cut down by heavy caliber rounds fired from U.S. Army vehicles.
Villagers say they were killed while trying to put out a fire in a field caused by an American flare. Blood and some of their remains still lie in the straw. In a few chaotic terrifying moments Hadlah Hassan (ph) suddenly was stripped of her husband, three of her sons, and a grandson.
"I have lost my children. I am alone", she cries. "I am paralyzed."
Most of the people here make a living off farming. Others have recently found work at a nearby air base occupied by U.S. forces.
Under the regime of Saddam Hussein Shiite Muslims, like these, were treated like second-class citizens. They greeted the fall of Saddam and the arrival of the Americans with celebrations.
"We were the first people in this area to raise the white flag when the Americans came," says Hassan Al-Hasraji (ph). "We welcomed them. And we know what happened Friday was a mistake," he adds.
Others were less forgiving. In fact, many are angry and bitter at the Americans.
"If the Americans can't run Iraq, let's bring back Saddam Hussein," says Jima Succa (ph), a relative of the dead men.
Villagers say American officers dropped by briefly before our visit to apologize for the killings. The U.S. Central Command has declined requests for further clarification. Off camera, U.S. Army sources concede, the killing of the five villagers was a mistake.
WEDEMAN (on camera): What happened in this small community is indicative of the dangers the U.S. faces in trying to crack down on armed opposition. By vigorously pursuing those who attack them, American forces may risk broadening the opposition they're trying to crush.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, Al Hir, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Incident>
Aired June 14, 2003 - 18:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the continuing tensions in Iraq. A day after a deadly incident north of Baghdad, U.S. Central Command and Iraqi villagers are giving very different accounts of what actually happened. CNN's Ben Wedeman reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Grief has descended on the villagers of Al Hir. Gathered together for a wake to mourn the sudden violent death of five members of this tightly knit farming community.
Early Friday, the villagers told us, they were jarred awake by long bursts of heavy machine gun fire. According to a state from U.S. Central Command an American tank patrol in the area repulsed an ambush. In the process 23 people, described as Iraqi insurgents, were killed.
The villagers don't dispute that an ambush took place and insist they have no idea about the identity of the attackers. Two of whom, they say, were killed in the shooting. Also killed, they told us, were five unarmed villagers. A man in his 70s, three of his adult sons and a grandson, cut down by heavy caliber rounds fired from U.S. Army vehicles.
Villagers say they were killed while trying to put out a fire in a field caused by an American flare. Blood and some of their remains still lie in the straw. In a few chaotic terrifying moments Hadlah Hassan (ph) suddenly was stripped of her husband, three of her sons, and a grandson.
"I have lost my children. I am alone", she cries. "I am paralyzed."
Most of the people here make a living off farming. Others have recently found work at a nearby air base occupied by U.S. forces.
Under the regime of Saddam Hussein Shiite Muslims, like these, were treated like second-class citizens. They greeted the fall of Saddam and the arrival of the Americans with celebrations.
"We were the first people in this area to raise the white flag when the Americans came," says Hassan Al-Hasraji (ph). "We welcomed them. And we know what happened Friday was a mistake," he adds.
Others were less forgiving. In fact, many are angry and bitter at the Americans.
"If the Americans can't run Iraq, let's bring back Saddam Hussein," says Jima Succa (ph), a relative of the dead men.
Villagers say American officers dropped by briefly before our visit to apologize for the killings. The U.S. Central Command has declined requests for further clarification. Off camera, U.S. Army sources concede, the killing of the five villagers was a mistake.
WEDEMAN (on camera): What happened in this small community is indicative of the dangers the U.S. faces in trying to crack down on armed opposition. By vigorously pursuing those who attack them, American forces may risk broadening the opposition they're trying to crush.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, Al Hir, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Incident>
