Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Two Americans Wounded in Attack on Convoy
Aired September 18, 2003 - 13:25 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: There was another attack on American soldiers in Iraq today. A convoy came under fire in a fierce gun battle in the Sunni Triangle area. Two Americans were wounded.
Nic Robertson live from Iraq now with the latest.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the coalition tell us that a convoy traveling in the direction of Baghdad, just outside the town of Khaldiya, right in the Sunni Triangle, hit an improvised explosive device. When that happened, they say they came under gunfire attack. Three vehicles were damaged.
Now according to townspeople, when we got there, they told us that a gun battle lasted for several hours. They say they heard several explosions, as if the convoy hit a number of different explosive devices there. We saw the armored vehicles coming in to retrieve and remove the damaged trucks from the area. What happened after that, however, the townspeople from Khaldiya moved into the area, where this incident had taken place, and started celebrating, firing guns in the air, holding up pictures of Saddam Hussein, chanting songs in support of Saddam Hussein, songs that people used to sing here through his regime.
But people told us, they said this isn't about Saddam Hussein, this is all about fighting an occupation. People there told us they thought soldiers had been killed that the casualty number was much greater than the two soldiers wounded, reported by the coalition. But they were having a celebration for what they saw as a victory.
One man said to me, look, the United States came here, made great promises, and now you see what's happening.
This particular area in the Sunni Triangle has been exceptionally tense recently. The police chief who worked with the coalition from this town was killed just a couple of days ago. What we've seen here today is really a look, right into the heart of the Sunni Triangle -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic, taking a look at -- there's been so much talk about the explosive devices, ones of course left over from previous wars, other devices left by -- I guess you could say the guerrillas in this guerrilla war. What type of forces are joining with the U.S. military out there to try and prevent this, or at least -- I mean, are there battalions out there, explosive ordnance disposal-type battalions?
ROBERTSON: There are, and every day in that area that particular area is operated in by the 82nd Airborne and the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. I talked with them. They sweep the road in the morning, at least three times a day, and they have airborne reconnaissance, road reconnaissance, looking for these explosive devices. They can be artillery rounds that are wired to go off on a remote-control detonation; somebody hide in the bushes, fired it when the troop goes by. It could be a mine, they could be buried in things left at the side of the road. The troops look for that -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Nic Robertson, live from Baghdad. Thanks, Nic. We'll continue to check in with 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 September 18, 2003 - 13:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: There was another attack on American soldiers in Iraq today. A convoy came under fire in a fierce gun battle in the Sunni Triangle area. Two Americans were wounded.
Nic Robertson live from Iraq now with the latest.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the coalition tell us that a convoy traveling in the direction of Baghdad, just outside the town of Khaldiya, right in the Sunni Triangle, hit an improvised explosive device. When that happened, they say they came under gunfire attack. Three vehicles were damaged.
Now according to townspeople, when we got there, they told us that a gun battle lasted for several hours. They say they heard several explosions, as if the convoy hit a number of different explosive devices there. We saw the armored vehicles coming in to retrieve and remove the damaged trucks from the area. What happened after that, however, the townspeople from Khaldiya moved into the area, where this incident had taken place, and started celebrating, firing guns in the air, holding up pictures of Saddam Hussein, chanting songs in support of Saddam Hussein, songs that people used to sing here through his regime.
But people told us, they said this isn't about Saddam Hussein, this is all about fighting an occupation. People there told us they thought soldiers had been killed that the casualty number was much greater than the two soldiers wounded, reported by the coalition. But they were having a celebration for what they saw as a victory.
One man said to me, look, the United States came here, made great promises, and now you see what's happening.
This particular area in the Sunni Triangle has been exceptionally tense recently. The police chief who worked with the coalition from this town was killed just a couple of days ago. What we've seen here today is really a look, right into the heart of the Sunni Triangle -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic, taking a look at -- there's been so much talk about the explosive devices, ones of course left over from previous wars, other devices left by -- I guess you could say the guerrillas in this guerrilla war. What type of forces are joining with the U.S. military out there to try and prevent this, or at least -- I mean, are there battalions out there, explosive ordnance disposal-type battalions?
ROBERTSON: There are, and every day in that area that particular area is operated in by the 82nd Airborne and the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. I talked with them. They sweep the road in the morning, at least three times a day, and they have airborne reconnaissance, road reconnaissance, looking for these explosive devices. They can be artillery rounds that are wired to go off on a remote-control detonation; somebody hide in the bushes, fired it when the troop goes by. It could be a mine, they could be buried in things left at the side of the road. The troops look for that -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Nic Robertson, live from Baghdad. Thanks, Nic. We'll continue to check in with 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
