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Soldier Killed Near Fallujah, Iraq

Aired July 18, 2003 - 13:15   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Another U.S. soldier is killed. This time, when his vehicle drives over an explosive device. The attack happened west of Fallujah, where resistance against the coalition forces have been strongest. There's warning signs now of more troubles ahead.
Joining us from Iraq, senior international correspondent Nic Robertson.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, that soldier driving his vehicle and convoy away from Fallujah, towards Baghdad, toward the main highway. According to officials here, an improvised explosive device was remotely detonated as his vehicle passed it, his vehicle blown across the road. He died in that blast. No other U.S. casualties reported. We have heard a number of times recently about these improvised explosive devices that have been used against Iraqis and U.S. troops in this particular area. They vary, we are told, from sticks of explosives with a remote control, either a wire, or an infrared or radio remote control-type device, to an artillery shell, packed with plastic explosives on the top, with a detonator tied to it, and then that detonated as the vehicle goes by, not clear exactly what type of device used this time, but described as an improvised explosive device.

A very symbolic move by U.S. troops north of Baghdad. The 4th Infantry Division blowing up what they say is the last statue of Saddam Hussein in Tikrit. When that came down, it symbolized the end of Operation Soda Mountain, the operation, the end of Operation Ivy Serpent. In those operations, we are told, some 140 raids have taken place, some 611 people have been detained; 62 of those, we're told are senior Baath Party officials. And according to a commander officer there, the raids have been aggressive and offensive. They now dominate the area. They say their enemies are not able to react as quickly as them, and that the number of attacks on U.S. troops in that area around Tikrit has gone down recently -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Nic, daily now we hear about the deaths of these soldiers. Tell us about the moral and how they're holding up.

ROBERTSON: The soldiers I've talked to, some of them are in the 3rd Infantry Division, those soldiers have a relatively low morale compared to the other soldiers. The reason being, they say, the reason being their friends and colleagues in other divisions say, is that the Third Infantry Division, they were told on a number of occasions they were going to come home. Those dates have changed. It looks like the dates have been pushed back. They're disappointed about that. But even those soldiers, when you talk to them, they say, no, we're professionals, we'll do our job. And Given the fact there are more attacks against us, we're very careful. We fall back on our training. We look at 360 degrees around us. There was an attack on the third infantry division outside of Fallujah just a few days ago. They were attacked by people using rocket-propelled grenades. All the assailants in that particular case were killed by those U.S. troops.

So what they do is rely on their basic training. That's what we're told the soldiers in other units around the country do -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson, live from Baghdad, thanks.

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 July 18, 2003 - 13:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Another U.S. soldier is killed. This time, when his vehicle drives over an explosive device. The attack happened west of Fallujah, where resistance against the coalition forces have been strongest. There's warning signs now of more troubles ahead.
Joining us from Iraq, senior international correspondent Nic Robertson.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, that soldier driving his vehicle and convoy away from Fallujah, towards Baghdad, toward the main highway. According to officials here, an improvised explosive device was remotely detonated as his vehicle passed it, his vehicle blown across the road. He died in that blast. No other U.S. casualties reported. We have heard a number of times recently about these improvised explosive devices that have been used against Iraqis and U.S. troops in this particular area. They vary, we are told, from sticks of explosives with a remote control, either a wire, or an infrared or radio remote control-type device, to an artillery shell, packed with plastic explosives on the top, with a detonator tied to it, and then that detonated as the vehicle goes by, not clear exactly what type of device used this time, but described as an improvised explosive device.

A very symbolic move by U.S. troops north of Baghdad. The 4th Infantry Division blowing up what they say is the last statue of Saddam Hussein in Tikrit. When that came down, it symbolized the end of Operation Soda Mountain, the operation, the end of Operation Ivy Serpent. In those operations, we are told, some 140 raids have taken place, some 611 people have been detained; 62 of those, we're told are senior Baath Party officials. And according to a commander officer there, the raids have been aggressive and offensive. They now dominate the area. They say their enemies are not able to react as quickly as them, and that the number of attacks on U.S. troops in that area around Tikrit has gone down recently -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Nic, daily now we hear about the deaths of these soldiers. Tell us about the moral and how they're holding up.

ROBERTSON: The soldiers I've talked to, some of them are in the 3rd Infantry Division, those soldiers have a relatively low morale compared to the other soldiers. The reason being, they say, the reason being their friends and colleagues in other divisions say, is that the Third Infantry Division, they were told on a number of occasions they were going to come home. Those dates have changed. It looks like the dates have been pushed back. They're disappointed about that. But even those soldiers, when you talk to them, they say, no, we're professionals, we'll do our job. And Given the fact there are more attacks against us, we're very careful. We fall back on our training. We look at 360 degrees around us. There was an attack on the third infantry division outside of Fallujah just a few days ago. They were attacked by people using rocket-propelled grenades. All the assailants in that particular case were killed by those U.S. troops.

So what they do is rely on their basic training. That's what we're told the soldiers in other units around the country do -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson, live from Baghdad, thanks.

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