Al-Fallujah, Iraq; 22 May 2003 (RFE/RL) -- U.S. troops overnight shot and killed at least two Iraqis in the central town of Al-Fallujah when their patrol vehicle came under rocket and rifle fire. U.S. Captain Mike Riedmuller said his soldiers were attacked with rocket-propelled grenades, rifle fire, and sniper fire while patrolling the city.
"We were on patrol when one of my armored vehicles was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, an RPG-7. As a result of that, we returned fire at a couple of people who had weapons and were shooting AK-47s [assault rifles] at us. A few minutes after that somebody attempted to disable another one of my Bradleys [fighting vehicles] by ramming it with a car," Riedmuller said.
He said there were no U.S. injuries in the incident. However, details remain unclear. Reuters reports that residents of the town said the soldiers fired indiscriminately into the crowd.
Last month, 15 Iraqi demonstrators were killed in clashes with U.S. troops in the town. On 1 May, a grenade attack wounded seven U.S. soldiers in Al-Fallujah.
"We were on patrol when one of my armored vehicles was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, an RPG-7. As a result of that, we returned fire at a couple of people who had weapons and were shooting AK-47s [assault rifles] at us. A few minutes after that somebody attempted to disable another one of my Bradleys [fighting vehicles] by ramming it with a car," Riedmuller said.
He said there were no U.S. injuries in the incident. However, details remain unclear. Reuters reports that residents of the town said the soldiers fired indiscriminately into the crowd.
Last month, 15 Iraqi demonstrators were killed in clashes with U.S. troops in the town. On 1 May, a grenade attack wounded seven U.S. soldiers in Al-Fallujah.