U.S. Kills 46 Iraqi Fighters in the North

Newsmax.com ^ | Dec. 1, 2003 | NewsMax wires

[Nachum]

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- In the deadliest reported firefight since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, U.S. soldiers fought back coordinated attacks Sunday using tanks, cannons and small arms in running battles throughout the northern city of Samarra. The troops killed 46 Iraqi fighters, and five Americans were wounded. Minutes later, two South Korean contractors were killed nearby in a roadside ambush in what U.S. officials called a new campaign aimed at undermining international support for the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. Attacks on Saturday killed seven Spaniards, two Japanese diplomats and a Colombian oil worker.

Lt. Col. William MacDonald of the 4th Infantry Division said attackers, many wearing uniforms of Saddam's Fedayeen militia, opened fire simultaneously on two U.S. supply convoys on opposite sides of Samarra.

After barricading a road, the attackers opened fire from rooftops and alleyways with bombs, small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, he said. U.S. troops responded with rifles, 120mm tank rounds and 25mm cannon fire from Bradley fighting vehicles.

U.S. fire destroyed three buildings the attackers were using, MacDonald said.

"It sounds like the attack had some coordination to it, but the soldiers responded, used their firepower, used tank and Bradley fire and other weapons available to them, to stop this attack and take the fight to the enemy," he said.

When the smoke cleared, 46 Iraqis were dead, 18 were wounded and eight were captured, MacDonald said. Five American soldiers and a civilian were wounded, he said, adding that none of the injuries were life-threatening.

"We have been very aggressive in our convoy operations to ensure the maximum force protection is with each convoy," MacDonald said. "But it does send a clear message that if you attempt to attack one of our convoys, we're going to use our firepower to stop that attack."

Shortly after the firefight, four men in a BMW attacked another U.S. convoy in Samarra with automatic rifles, MacDonald said. The soldiers wounded all four men, and found Kalashnikov rifles and grenade launchers in their car.

MacDonald said the attack was the largest faced by his Task Force Ironhorse -- whose mission includes the hunt for Saddam. Military officials in Baghdad said they haven't reported a deadlier attack since May 1, when President Bush declared major combat over.

U.S. officials have only sporadically released figures on Iraqi casualties, and wouldn't say whether there has been a deadlier firefight that went unreported.

Samarra is 60 miles north of Baghdad in the so-called Sunni Triangle, where opposition to the U.S. occupation of Iraq has been fiercest.

© 2003 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[CommandoFrank]

At this rate the word will get out that they are running out of virgins in their heaven...

[mylife]

"US Kills Innocent Iraqis".

Innocent indeed...Thank god we have GW in charge

[mylife]

Best case is that they're getting desperate

OH They are desperate!

[Paleo Conservative]

Whoops I meant that to be in italics. You should actually be responding to r9etb.

[Mortimer Snavely]

How splendid!

[Delta 21]

How many generations of Palistinians does it take to learn that you dont throw rocks at people with guns? You could put a serious hurt on any tankers day with even a single well placed RPG and 2 or 3 would be an instant nightmare. But Tanks never EVER travel alone and the amount of whoop ass a few Bradleys and M-1s carry is awesome to say the least. One news report said that three buildings were completely destroyed in the battle.

Completely overwhelming firepower used with extreme prejudice.

The convoy might have had the Bradleys along as support, but I'll bet we ambushed the ambush. The heavy stuff was probly shadowing the convoy 3 or 4 blocks away, and when the shooting started they were there in seconds and just decimated the place.

We should have left 2 or 3 of the bad guys strung up on the power lines with pork rinds stuffed in their pockets.

[mylife]

How many generations of Palistinians does it take to learn that you dont throw rocks at people with guns? You could put a serious hurt on any tankers day with even a single well placed RPG and 2 or 3 would be an instant nightmare. But Tanks never EVER travel alone and the amount of whoop ass a few Bradleys and M-1s carry is awesome to say the least. One news report said that three buildings were completely destroyed in the battle.

Completely overwhelming firepower used with extreme prejudice.


BINGO

[Hammerhead]

"In your FACE Flanders!"

[mylife]

Completely overwhelming firepower used with extreme prejudice.

I know you meant discretion. LOL

[pierrem15]

We should have left 2 or 3 of the bad guys strung up on the power lines with pork rinds stuffed in their pockets.

After watching a Halloween special on Vlad the Impaler, I think a supply of big road-sign stakes (you know, those green angle iron thingies) would go a long way in the Sunni triangle, if you get my drift.

But maybe I'm just old fashioned...

[mylife]

Any one see what Clarky Larky has to say about the battle on FOX now?

[tubavil]

Terrorists dying instead of Americans. What a concept.

Perhaps Bush is learning.

[geopyg]

Now, isn't that just like an Iraqi - bringin' an RPG to a tank fight.

[Atchafalaya]

effem!

[Dave Elias]

Interesting point about foreigners, I read on Reuters that some of the dead attackers had been found with Iranian ID.

[RandallFlagg]

I'm waiting for tomorrow's headlines to announce, "US Kills Innocent Iraqis".

I wonder how fast Katie Colonic or CNN will be able to muster a crying family member of one of the dead terrorists insurgents.

[Dave Elias]

Actually there are versions of the RPG-7 that would make mincemeat out of an M1. The RPG-7VR is designed specifically to overcome reactive armor.

[Quix]

Strongly agree about the pork rinds.

And a necklace of pig's intestines quite loaded with pig poopy.

[anglian]

Found this; Death toll has risen to 54 - From bbc,,,A "Frightened witnesses in Samarra" told a correspondent for the FRENCH news agency AFP who managed to enter the city...(by chance they just happen to be there at the time),that US forces had repeatedly come under attack on Sunday.....YEAH SURE.

However, they added that.In the aftermath of one attack at about 1255 (0955 GMT), An American tank had opened fire on....workers leaving a factory at the end of their shift, killing two and wounding "many".
Iraqi doctors said eight civilians were killed by US fire in the exchanges, reported AFP.

The BBC's Peter Greste, also in Samarra, says there is an unmistakeable sense of anger among local people - who say the US response to the attacks was indiscriminate and unnecessary.

GRRRR
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/middle_east/3251690.stm

[Jacob Kell]

An RPG can still do some damage to a M1 or a Bradley, if the shooter fired from a close enough distance and from the sides, rear or above. ALso, there are new and more effective warheads coming out for the RPG-7. Such as one designed to defeat reactive armor.