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Repair Points in Iraq Now Under Fire as U.S. Troops Rebuild Nation
Aired July 28, 2003 - 14:11 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: While U.S. troops tighten the noose around Saddam Hussein, American troops continue to come under attack in what's being called "low-intensity conflict." Another U.S. soldier was killed today and one commander tells CNN the attacks are becoming more sophisticated as foreign fighters become involved.
Senior international correspondent Nic Robertson joins us from Baghdad. Nic, what's the latest?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, perhaps this particular attack falling into the characteristic of becoming perhaps more sophisticated. On this occasion, according to coalition officials an improvised explosive device thrown down from a highway bridge on to the Humvee vehicle was it was driving underneath. One soldier killed, three injured, according to coalition officials.
In the last three days, we've seen attacks on U.S. troops as they have been on the ground and somebody has thrown either a grenade or improvised explosive device down on them. Perhaps this is a new trend in this sort of urban guerrilla-style conflict that is going on here that the troops are enduring.
Two of the soldiers injured now returned to duty. One other -- the other injured soldier, we understand, still receiving medical treatment -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And, Nic, what's the latest with this incident or violent incident, I guess, north of Baghdad?
ROBERTSON: Well, again, a new departure really in the type of conflict here. Though we've seen attacks on U.S. troops, this was an attack on a bridge, a bridge U.S. troops have been repairing north of Baghdad.
They say, again, an improvised explosive device, which is what the coalition describes as anything that has a timer or a fuse on it and it is detonated to cause either deadly or structural -- deadly effect of structural damage. This explosive device was tide, they say, to a log that was floated down the river. When it got to the bridge the troops have been repairing over the last few months it was detonated, damaging the bridge.
And now the coalition says that although they have a military bridge in place there at that location that the U.S. troops can use there's no longer any way that Iraqi civilians can pass over the river there. This presumably a problem for the Iraqis who live in that particular area.
But this is a new departure. We have not recently seen this type of attack on work that the coalition has been doing -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson live from Baghdad. Thank you.
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 28, 2003 - 14:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: While U.S. troops tighten the noose around Saddam Hussein, American troops continue to come under attack in what's being called "low-intensity conflict." Another U.S. soldier was killed today and one commander tells CNN the attacks are becoming more sophisticated as foreign fighters become involved.
Senior international correspondent Nic Robertson joins us from Baghdad. Nic, what's the latest?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, perhaps this particular attack falling into the characteristic of becoming perhaps more sophisticated. On this occasion, according to coalition officials an improvised explosive device thrown down from a highway bridge on to the Humvee vehicle was it was driving underneath. One soldier killed, three injured, according to coalition officials.
In the last three days, we've seen attacks on U.S. troops as they have been on the ground and somebody has thrown either a grenade or improvised explosive device down on them. Perhaps this is a new trend in this sort of urban guerrilla-style conflict that is going on here that the troops are enduring.
Two of the soldiers injured now returned to duty. One other -- the other injured soldier, we understand, still receiving medical treatment -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And, Nic, what's the latest with this incident or violent incident, I guess, north of Baghdad?
ROBERTSON: Well, again, a new departure really in the type of conflict here. Though we've seen attacks on U.S. troops, this was an attack on a bridge, a bridge U.S. troops have been repairing north of Baghdad.
They say, again, an improvised explosive device, which is what the coalition describes as anything that has a timer or a fuse on it and it is detonated to cause either deadly or structural -- deadly effect of structural damage. This explosive device was tide, they say, to a log that was floated down the river. When it got to the bridge the troops have been repairing over the last few months it was detonated, damaging the bridge.
And now the coalition says that although they have a military bridge in place there at that location that the U.S. troops can use there's no longer any way that Iraqi civilians can pass over the river there. This presumably a problem for the Iraqis who live in that particular area.
But this is a new departure. We have not recently seen this type of attack on work that the coalition has been doing -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson live from Baghdad. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
