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Suicide Bombers Stage Attacks on Two U.S. Bases in Iraq
Aired December 09, 2003 - 11:01 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Suicide bombers staging attacks on two U.S. bases in Iraq today. The vehicles never made it past the gates of the compound. Still, the explosions wounded close to three dozen soldiers.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is watching development from the Iraqi capital.
Nic, hello.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.
Well, the first of those attacks coming just before dawn to the west of the city of Mosul, to the north of Iraq. The troops there on guard duty spotted a car approaching the base at high speed. They shot at the vehicle, disabled it, but it then exploded, exploded outside the gates, blowing out window in the compound there, windows in a school just across from the U.S. military base. Thirty-one soldiers were injured in the blast, eight of them medically evacuated. We are told, however, none of those injuries are life-threatening.
The other suicide attack came a couple hours later at a base just north of Baghdad. This base, the suicide attacker was on foot. He approached the two guards on duty outside the camp. He feigned that he was ill. The two soldiers on guard duty didn't go towards him, but then he detonated the explosives. He was killed. The two soldiers slightly wounded, we are told; they were taken away for medical treatment. But again, their situation not life threatening.
In Baghdad, however, there was a lethal attack on a mosque in the north of the city, a Sunni Muslim mosque, rocket propelled grenades fired at that mosque. Three people, we are told, were killed, several other Iraqis injured. It's not clear, however, what the motivation was for this attack -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And then what about the latest incident involving a U.S. Army helicopter?
ROBERTSON: A small observation helicopter, an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter, flying to the west of Baghdad, Around the town of Fallujah. Now according to U.S. officials, the helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing. Pictures of the helicopter shortly after it came down showed that it was on fire. The two crewmen managed to get out alive.
However, U.S. officials say they're investigating small arms gunfire that was heard in the area just before the helicopter came down. What we do know is about a month ago a large transport Chinook helicopter was shot down in that area, 16 people on board at that time were killed. This incident is right now still under investigation -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Nic Robertson in Baghdad. Thank you for the latest from the Iraqi capital.
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 December 9, 2003 - 11:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Suicide bombers staging attacks on two U.S. bases in Iraq today. The vehicles never made it past the gates of the compound. Still, the explosions wounded close to three dozen soldiers.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is watching development from the Iraqi capital.
Nic, hello.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.
Well, the first of those attacks coming just before dawn to the west of the city of Mosul, to the north of Iraq. The troops there on guard duty spotted a car approaching the base at high speed. They shot at the vehicle, disabled it, but it then exploded, exploded outside the gates, blowing out window in the compound there, windows in a school just across from the U.S. military base. Thirty-one soldiers were injured in the blast, eight of them medically evacuated. We are told, however, none of those injuries are life-threatening.
The other suicide attack came a couple hours later at a base just north of Baghdad. This base, the suicide attacker was on foot. He approached the two guards on duty outside the camp. He feigned that he was ill. The two soldiers on guard duty didn't go towards him, but then he detonated the explosives. He was killed. The two soldiers slightly wounded, we are told; they were taken away for medical treatment. But again, their situation not life threatening.
In Baghdad, however, there was a lethal attack on a mosque in the north of the city, a Sunni Muslim mosque, rocket propelled grenades fired at that mosque. Three people, we are told, were killed, several other Iraqis injured. It's not clear, however, what the motivation was for this attack -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And then what about the latest incident involving a U.S. Army helicopter?
ROBERTSON: A small observation helicopter, an OH-58 Kiowa helicopter, flying to the west of Baghdad, Around the town of Fallujah. Now according to U.S. officials, the helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing. Pictures of the helicopter shortly after it came down showed that it was on fire. The two crewmen managed to get out alive.
However, U.S. officials say they're investigating small arms gunfire that was heard in the area just before the helicopter came down. What we do know is about a month ago a large transport Chinook helicopter was shot down in that area, 16 people on board at that time were killed. This incident is right now still under investigation -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Nic Robertson in Baghdad. Thank you for the latest from the Iraqi capital.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
