Four US soldiers hurt in grenade attack
At least four American soldiers were wounded, two of them seriously, in a grenade attack on a US military convoy that also hit a civilian bus, officials said today.
The soldiers returned fire “to protect the convoy and the civilian bus,” US Central Command said, adding that the number of casualties on the bus was unclear.
The bus was driving past the soldiers yesterday near Al Mushahidah town, about 15 miles north of Baghdad, when the attack was launched.
Also yesterday, rocket-propelled grenades were fired at a US military convoy near Ad Dujayl, about 20 miles further north.
“The convoy returned fire, and the attackers fled the area. A quick reactionary force was dispatched to provide security for the convoy and pursue the attackers,” Centcom said.
They were the latest in a string of attacks against US occupation forces in Iraq. In response, the military has launched large scale sweeps around the country in search of insurgents and weapons.
“Supporters of the former regime continue to put innocent civilians at risk. Coalition forces will continue to isolate and defeat remaining pockets of resistance that are delaying the transition to a peaceful and stable Iraq,” Centcom said.
Qusai Taha, 33, who owns a grocery shop near Ad Dujayl, said he heard gunfire, ran outside and saw the last vehicle in a 15 vehicle convoy had been hit.
He said he saw two American soldiers being taken out of the truck, and that they appeared to be wounded.
Later, Taha said, two Iraqis arrived on a motorbike and set the truck on fire. Other witnesses in the area gave similar accounts.
American soldiers were working today to remove the burned out vehicle.
