Posted on 04/03/2003 4:23:50 PM PST by blam
Militia shells liberated villagers given food by British troops
By Jack Fairweather in Gul Ashab
(Filed: 04/04/2003)
The villagers of Gul Ashab yesterday paid a terrible price for the welcome they have shown to British forces distributing aid in the newly liberated village.
On Wednesday the entire village, just outside Basra, had gathered to thank A Squadron of the Queen's Dragoon Guards as they handed out much needed food and water.
But early yesterday the village centre was in flames after an artillery and mortar attack by Iraqi militia groups
Nine shells fell on the village, taking off the leg of one pregnant woman and injuring several others in what appears to have been a deliberate attempt by militia forces to lure British forces into an ambush on the outskirts of Basra.
Capt Justin Stenhouse of the squadron said: "This is a cowardly and atrocious act.
"At least the militia behind this could have had the courage to fire on us instead of targeting innocent civilians.
"We will find the attackers and bring them to justice." The mortar attack is only one of many such raids since the war began though it is believed to be the first to target a civilian area.
Yesterday, a senior British officer had briefed troops on the need to "think like the enemy" as the siege of Basra enters its second week.
"We know that they have lost cohesion as a force and are now relying on surprise tactics. We've got them on the run."
A British soldier added under his breath: "I hope I never end up thinking like them.
"What sort of monsters shell their own people."
The sight of the smoking village where fire burned uncontrollably for several hours reduced one of its sheikhs to tears.
Other villagers still cowered in their houses too afraid to venture out, though following local custom one family head opened the doors of his small mud house to answer the questions of worried neighbours over a cup of tea.
"Don't worry," said the brother-in-law of the woman, "She is with the British now and safe.
"They will give her a special metal leg which will last longer than the other one." One Iraqi man asked after the condition of the baby. "He is fine," said the man, expressing the usual confidence that a child will be male.
"I think after this maybe we will give him an English name to show our gratitude."
As the mood at the house lightened after the harrowing events of the night before a British soldier suggested the name "Gary".
"No, no", said the woman's mother, "I think maybe Mohammed would be better."
The other women in the house nodded approval.
One said: "We are good Muslims here and this child will be delivered to us by the grace of God and the prophet."
Cpl Cain Thomas, who had helped both to distribute the food and water the previous day and to give first aid to the injured woman said: "It tears at your heart to see how these good people have been treated.
"I wish we could do more but for the time being I try to explain to the children who come up to me that we have a war to fight in order to make sure that this sort of thing never happens again."
For some reason, the name Janet Reno came to mind when I read this.
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