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CNN Saturday Morning News
Another U.S. Soldier Killed in Baghdad
Aired July 19, 2003 - 07:13 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.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention now onto Iraq and the rising death toll there. Another American soldier was killed today after being ambushed in Baghdad. CNN's Rym Brahimi joins us live now from the Iraqi capital, with the latest from there -- Rym.
RYME BRAHIMI, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Thomas, indeed, he was ambushed near a bank that he was guarding. That is in a place called Abu Grate (ph), located west of Baghdad. And he was apparently fired upon by small arms and rocket propelled grenades. He was taken to a medical facility but died later over there.
And that comes just after yesterday, another U.S. soldier was killed near Fallujah, now that's the town, as you know, that's been the center of all those attacks against U.S. troops. That soldier was died, basically, when his vehicle was blown up by an explosive device on a road that he was taking.
All this, Thomas, comes at a moment when the coalition forces say that two major military sweeps have successfully ended, Operation Ivy Serpent and Operation Soda Mountain. Now they say in those military sweeps that were launched sometime last week, some 112 people detained, actually found to be have been close to the regime of Saddam Hussein. They also grabbed a certain number of weapons, including, 6,000 mortar rounds and 1,400 RPG grenades, that's rocket propelled grenades.
But, of course, this violence is still going on and as you know, General Abizaid, who is the U.S. commander of forces here in Iraq has said that this is guerilla-type warfare, in a way.
Now another significant development: Today was the first day of recruitment for the new Iraqi army. Now, that should, maybe theoretically, help in the security issues on the long-terms. Hundreds of volunteers showed up at the center where they were recruiting. Most of them admitted that they were just here because they wanted a job. That said, they are going to start soon, the training, with the basics. The company that has been contracted to organize that training is known as Vinnell Corporation -- Thomas.
ROBERTS: Rym Brahimi, live for us in Baghdad, this morning.
Rym, thank you very much.
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Aired July 19, 2003 - 07:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention now onto Iraq and the rising death toll there. Another American soldier was killed today after being ambushed in Baghdad. CNN's Rym Brahimi joins us live now from the Iraqi capital, with the latest from there -- Rym.
RYME BRAHIMI, CNN INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Thomas, indeed, he was ambushed near a bank that he was guarding. That is in a place called Abu Grate (ph), located west of Baghdad. And he was apparently fired upon by small arms and rocket propelled grenades. He was taken to a medical facility but died later over there.
And that comes just after yesterday, another U.S. soldier was killed near Fallujah, now that's the town, as you know, that's been the center of all those attacks against U.S. troops. That soldier was died, basically, when his vehicle was blown up by an explosive device on a road that he was taking.
All this, Thomas, comes at a moment when the coalition forces say that two major military sweeps have successfully ended, Operation Ivy Serpent and Operation Soda Mountain. Now they say in those military sweeps that were launched sometime last week, some 112 people detained, actually found to be have been close to the regime of Saddam Hussein. They also grabbed a certain number of weapons, including, 6,000 mortar rounds and 1,400 RPG grenades, that's rocket propelled grenades.
But, of course, this violence is still going on and as you know, General Abizaid, who is the U.S. commander of forces here in Iraq has said that this is guerilla-type warfare, in a way.
Now another significant development: Today was the first day of recruitment for the new Iraqi army. Now, that should, maybe theoretically, help in the security issues on the long-terms. Hundreds of volunteers showed up at the center where they were recruiting. Most of them admitted that they were just here because they wanted a job. That said, they are going to start soon, the training, with the basics. The company that has been contracted to organize that training is known as Vinnell Corporation -- Thomas.
ROBERTS: Rym Brahimi, live for us in Baghdad, this morning.
Rym, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
