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American Morning
Soldiers Fire on Anti-American Protesters in Iraqi Town
Aired April 30, 2003 - 08:04 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: Well, now more on that new clash in Fallujah. For the second time this week, U.S. soldiers have fired on anti-American protesters in the Iraqi town. This clash comes as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrives in Iraq to meet with U.S. troops.
Rym Brahimi is in Baghdad and she is following those developments -- Rym, hello.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Daryn.
Indeed, two people killed now and several more wounded. At least 15 wounded for the time being. That the result of this latest clash in the western town of Fallujah. Now, this happened when angry protesters went to protest the deaths of civilians killed in another incident that took place on Monday.
Now, again, it's not clear who shot first. Some, a couple of -- eight Associated Press reporters are saying that they saw U.S. troops open fire on Iraqi protesters, but, again, U.S. forces are saying that they're not sure that's the case. They believe that the U.S. troops may have been shot at first.
At any rate, an investigation is under way. But you can see the level of tension there coming after Monday night's events in which another clash left 15 people dead and 53 wounded, again, in Fallujah, as anti-American protesters went to a school where U.S. troops had been based for several days, asking them to leave the school so that classes could resume -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Rym, this latest clash comes as U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in town. What can you tell us about his visit? Is he just there to see U.S. military or will the people of Baghdad see the defense secretary as well?
BRAHIMI: That's a very good question, and as you know, Daryn, Donald Rumsfeld hasn't actually been back to Baghdad since the middle of the 1980s, when he met with President Saddam Hussein. So this is obviously a very, totally different circumstance under which he's visiting the Iraqi capital. Well, Donald Rumsfeld started his tour by stopping over in Basra, where he met with U.S. and British forces there. And then now he's in Baghdad.
In Baghdad, it's not clear whether he will meet Iraqi people directly. It seems not for the time being. But he has recorded a TV and radio address in which he's telling the Iraqi people that he's pleased to see their liberation, in which he also acknowledges the difficulties that they're facing right now, saying he understands that there is an urgent need for Iraqis to go back to work, for their children to go back to school, for water, electricity and security to be restored for the political future of Iraq, to be able to move forward.
But he's also calling on Iraqis to help U.S. coalition forces find those members of the Baath Party leadership and the fighters that are still around that are still fighting here and there.
So a very interesting visit. We're not sure he'll meet Iraqi people, but definitely he's making an attempt to call on them to help coalition forces -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Rym Brahimi in Baghdad.
Rym, 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 April 30, 2003 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, now more on that new clash in Fallujah. For the second time this week, U.S. soldiers have fired on anti-American protesters in the Iraqi town. This clash comes as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrives in Iraq to meet with U.S. troops.
Rym Brahimi is in Baghdad and she is following those developments -- Rym, hello.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Daryn.
Indeed, two people killed now and several more wounded. At least 15 wounded for the time being. That the result of this latest clash in the western town of Fallujah. Now, this happened when angry protesters went to protest the deaths of civilians killed in another incident that took place on Monday.
Now, again, it's not clear who shot first. Some, a couple of -- eight Associated Press reporters are saying that they saw U.S. troops open fire on Iraqi protesters, but, again, U.S. forces are saying that they're not sure that's the case. They believe that the U.S. troops may have been shot at first.
At any rate, an investigation is under way. But you can see the level of tension there coming after Monday night's events in which another clash left 15 people dead and 53 wounded, again, in Fallujah, as anti-American protesters went to a school where U.S. troops had been based for several days, asking them to leave the school so that classes could resume -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Rym, this latest clash comes as U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in town. What can you tell us about his visit? Is he just there to see U.S. military or will the people of Baghdad see the defense secretary as well?
BRAHIMI: That's a very good question, and as you know, Daryn, Donald Rumsfeld hasn't actually been back to Baghdad since the middle of the 1980s, when he met with President Saddam Hussein. So this is obviously a very, totally different circumstance under which he's visiting the Iraqi capital. Well, Donald Rumsfeld started his tour by stopping over in Basra, where he met with U.S. and British forces there. And then now he's in Baghdad.
In Baghdad, it's not clear whether he will meet Iraqi people directly. It seems not for the time being. But he has recorded a TV and radio address in which he's telling the Iraqi people that he's pleased to see their liberation, in which he also acknowledges the difficulties that they're facing right now, saying he understands that there is an urgent need for Iraqis to go back to work, for their children to go back to school, for water, electricity and security to be restored for the political future of Iraq, to be able to move forward.
But he's also calling on Iraqis to help U.S. coalition forces find those members of the Baath Party leadership and the fighters that are still around that are still fighting here and there.
So a very interesting visit. We're not sure he'll meet Iraqi people, but definitely he's making an attempt to call on them to help coalition forces -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Rym Brahimi in Baghdad.
Rym, 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
