- March 29, 2004 - Arab newspapers reported today that
six US soldiers were killed in the Iraqi city of Sammarra, as a result
of explosions under their military vehicles in the city. Four other US
soldiers were injured in other cities. A Briton and a Canadian were also
killed earlier in Mosul. Other reports of attacks on US forces came from
west of Baghdad, Mosul, and Baquba. Several Iraqi civilians were also killed
and injured. (Alittihad, Ad Dustour, Al-Khaleej, 3/29/04).
-
- Reuters also reported (below) that a seventh US soldier
was killed in Fallouja.
-
- Guerrillas Kills U.S. Soldier in Iraq; Riots
in Basra
-
- Mon Mar 29, 2004 01:03 PM ET
-
- By Fiona O'Brien
-
- BAGHDAD (Reuters) - (Iraqi)
Guerrillas killed a U.S. soldier in a bomb attack west of Baghdad Monday,
and British troops used batons and rubber bullets to beat back a crowd
of furious protesters in the southern city of Basra.
-
- A U.S. military spokesman said the U.S. soldier was killed
near the flashpoint town of Falluja west of Baghdad, in the "Sunni
triangle" where insurgents mount regular attacks against occupying
troops and Iraqis cooperating with them.
-
- The attack brought to 401 the number of American soldiers
killed in hostile action in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion last year.
-
- In Basra, a mainly Shi'ite city 550 km (340 miles) southeast
of Baghdad, at least one protester and two British soldiers were wounded
in clashes that erupted when troops evicted Iraqis they said were squatting
in a government building.
-
- British soldiers with riot shields used batons to beat
back a crowd of around 80 demonstrators, who threw stones and swung iron
bars at the British forces and set fire to several tires.
-
- One protester tried to snatch a rifle from a soldier
and was quickly beaten to the ground by others.
-
- Maj. Tim Smith, the British military spokesman in Basra,
said Iraqis who were being evicted from the building had attacked soldiers.
-
- "British soldiers quickly took appropriate action
against the provocation and rapidly brought the incident under control,"
he said.
-
- "The incident in fact lasted for just over 20 minutes
and is now being investigated by the Iraqi Police and Royal Military Police.
I can confirm that British soldiers fired two baton rounds but no tear
gas was used."
-
- Witnesses said one protester was wounded in the head
by a rubber baton round fired by British troops. They said he had been
taken to hospital.
-
- British troops clashed with demonstrators in Basra last
week. An armored troop carrier was attacked with petrol bombs and several
British soldiers were briefly set alight before the flames were doused.
Thirteen soldiers were lightly wounded in the clashes, which lasted several
hours.
-
- U.N. TEAM DISCUSSES ELECTIONS
-
- In Baghdad, a United Nations team of electoral experts
held talks with the U.S.-backed Governing Council on preparations for polls
due to be held by the end of January 2005.
-
- Carina Perelli, head of the U.N. Electoral Assistance
Division, told reporters that Iraqi leaders must agree on a basic electoral
framework by the end of May if the polls are to be held on time.
-
- Any delay in holding elections by the agreed date is
likely to spark huge protests among Iraq's majority Shi'ites who have been
pressing for polls as soon as possible.
-
- Perelli said the most pressing issue was setting up an
independent electoral authority.
-
- "We are all very much aware -- ourselves, the Governing
Council and the Coalition Provisional Authority -- that we are working
on an extremely tight timeframe," she said.
-
- "If there's going to be an election by January 31,
all the agreements need to be reached no later than the end of May, otherwise
the date (for polls) may be compromised."
-
- Under the transitional constitution, a non-elected Iraqi
government will take back sovereignty on June 30. By the end of January
2005, there should be elections for a national assembly which will write
a permanent constitution.
-
- That would then go to a referendum, and if approved full
elections would follow by the end of 2005.
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