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Iraqi Shi'ites Angered When U.S. Troop Attempted to Remove Religious Flag
Aired August 13, 2003 - 14:26 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: Out with the occupiers. And that's what thousands of people are saying in Baghdad as U.S. troops come under attack again. With the latest from Baghdad, CNN's Rym Brahimi.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, one soldier was killed, another one wounded. Now that happened when their armored personnel carrier struck an explosive device early on today.
But as you were saying, they're not facing just daily attacks from people who are trying to deliberately target U.S. troops. There's also events that happened in a city like this one. Very extraordinary. It all involves a flag, a communications tower and a helicopter, Kyra.
Now the flag symbolizes the Muslim Shi'as attachment or loyalty toward their particular brand of Islam. That flag on top of the communications tower was seen by a helicopter. Now this helicopter hovered above it and a U.S. soldier tried to remove that flag from that tower.
It so happens, however, that this took place right in the heart of a very, very heavily populated area, predominantly Shi'a Muslim known as al Saddam City. One-fifth of Baghdad's population lives there. It seems to have angered a lot of people there who started throwing things.
And then from somewhere, Kyra, and nobody yet knows where, gun fire. Four people were wounded as a result. Nobody knows exactly who shot or what happened. But the result of that was, definitely, thousands this afternoon in the streets of that same neighborhood crying, "Out with America" -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Meanwhile, Rym Brahimi, normally we would see you on camera. You're joining us by phone. I understand you heard some gunshots in the area. Do you know why? What's taking place around you?
BRAHIMI: Kyra, it's always difficult to know exactly what's taking place at night. As you know there's a curfew so we don't really go out after a certain time.
It seems that this may have been celebratory gun fire from a soccer game, but we're not clear as there is often gun fire, there are often shootouts, there often various things that mean there's gun fire in the air at night. And this time it seemed serious. Our camera man's tent on the roof was hit a couple times. And our camera man was able to pick up some of the bullet cases that fell near our (UNINTELLIGIBLE) position on the roof at the Palestine Hotel -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Rym Brahimi, just another reality check of what life is like there in Iraq for you and everybody on the ground. 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
Religious Flag>
Aired August 13, 2003 - 14:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Out with the occupiers. And that's what thousands of people are saying in Baghdad as U.S. troops come under attack again. With the latest from Baghdad, CNN's Rym Brahimi.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, one soldier was killed, another one wounded. Now that happened when their armored personnel carrier struck an explosive device early on today.
But as you were saying, they're not facing just daily attacks from people who are trying to deliberately target U.S. troops. There's also events that happened in a city like this one. Very extraordinary. It all involves a flag, a communications tower and a helicopter, Kyra.
Now the flag symbolizes the Muslim Shi'as attachment or loyalty toward their particular brand of Islam. That flag on top of the communications tower was seen by a helicopter. Now this helicopter hovered above it and a U.S. soldier tried to remove that flag from that tower.
It so happens, however, that this took place right in the heart of a very, very heavily populated area, predominantly Shi'a Muslim known as al Saddam City. One-fifth of Baghdad's population lives there. It seems to have angered a lot of people there who started throwing things.
And then from somewhere, Kyra, and nobody yet knows where, gun fire. Four people were wounded as a result. Nobody knows exactly who shot or what happened. But the result of that was, definitely, thousands this afternoon in the streets of that same neighborhood crying, "Out with America" -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Meanwhile, Rym Brahimi, normally we would see you on camera. You're joining us by phone. I understand you heard some gunshots in the area. Do you know why? What's taking place around you?
BRAHIMI: Kyra, it's always difficult to know exactly what's taking place at night. As you know there's a curfew so we don't really go out after a certain time.
It seems that this may have been celebratory gun fire from a soccer game, but we're not clear as there is often gun fire, there are often shootouts, there often various things that mean there's gun fire in the air at night. And this time it seemed serious. Our camera man's tent on the roof was hit a couple times. And our camera man was able to pick up some of the bullet cases that fell near our (UNINTELLIGIBLE) position on the roof at the Palestine Hotel -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Rym Brahimi, just another reality check of what life is like there in Iraq for you and everybody on the ground. 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
Religious Flag>
