- One Iraqi civilian has been killed and another injured
when US occupation forces opened fire in Samarra City.
-
- The death follows a resistance attack on Tuesday. Medical
sources at the city's hospital told Aljazeera they had received the body
of one dead person and were treating another person for injuries sustained
when occupation troops opened fire.
-
- The US army announced that 11 Iraqis had been killed
in the town, a claim that is being denied by people living in Samarra City
who told Aljazeera that one farmer had been killed and another injured
by gun fire.
-
- Aljazeera.net contacted US Central command to ask why
there was a discrepancy between the number of dead being reported by US
occupation forces, and the numbers being reported by locals in the
city.
-
- Response
-
- Major Mitchell, a spokesperson for the US military told
Aljazeera.net that he could not explain the conflicting reports.
-
- "I have no explanation as to why the number of dead
reported by Aljazeera is different from the numbers reported by US forces.
We stand by the information that we have, but if we find the information
to be inaccurate, then of course we will go on record to say
so."
-
- Aljazeera correspondent Abd-al-Azeem Mohammed says that
this is the second time that confusion has surrounded the number of Iraqi
civilians killed by US troops in the city.
-
- "US forces announced two weeks ago that 45 Iraqis
had been killed in Samarra, a claim denied by local people who said that
only 8 Iraqis had been killed."
-
- Protests
-
- Witnesses said hundreds of residents protesting Saddam's
capture overran the office of the US-appointed mayor in Falluja.
-
- Meanwhile, a US patrol north of the city was apparently
attacked by roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades. The military
claimed that soldiers returned fire, killing two Iraqi fighters.
-
- However, independent media reports said those killed
were demonstrators.
-
- In a separate incident, 30 Iraqi fighters opened fired
at a US patrol. US soldiers retaliated, killing one of the fighters.
-
- Support
-
- Pro Saddam supporters have cast doubts on claims by the
US-led forces that the people of Iraq universally welcomed the former
presidents
capture.
-
- Monday15 December
-
- US occupation forces say five Iraqis were shot dead in
Falluja and Ramadi.
-
- Tuesday 16 December
-
- One Iraqi police officer is killed and another wounded
in Mosul following pro -Saddam demonstration.
-
- US soldiers shoot and kill one Iraqi in Kirkuk
-
- Around 200 people march in central Baghdad against Saddam
Hussein - calling for elections.
-
- In the ousted leader's hometown of Tikrit, about 700
people demonstrated against his capture on Monday, chanting "Saddam
is in our hearts, Saddam is in our blood."
-
- US soldiers and Iraqi policemen are reported to have
shouted back: "Saddam is in our jail."
-
- One protester was reportedly killed in Tikrit in clashes
that broke out between baton-wielding occupation forces and
students.
-
- More resistance
-
- In related news, one US soldier died when a convoy was
struck by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad on Tuesday, according to
military
sources.
-
- Three more US soldiers were injured, two seriously, in
an explosion in Saddam's hometown of Tikrit, about 160km north of Baghdad,
they said.
-
- Agencies
-
- http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/
C2CC8AFB-E4CB-4901-96C1-927E9E7C4A52.htm
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