Iraq resistance attacks continue
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-Azim Muhammad says 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 against 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 fire 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 president’s capture.
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Monday 15 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 About 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, Tikrit, about 160km north of Baghdad, they said.