Bloody day for US in Iraq

2005-02-25 17:54

Baghdad - A roadside bomb has killed three American soldiers north of Baghdad on Friday as 10 Iraqis died in other attacks.

"We did have soldiers killed in northern Baghdad," Major Darryl Wright said, adding that the deaths were the result of an improvised explosive device, US military jargon for a roadside bombing.

Eight other American troops were wounded when the bomb exploded as soldiers were on foot patrol in Tarmiya, 20km north of the city, a spokesperson said.

Coinciding with news of the attack, Iraq's government said on

Security sources said that in addition to the latest attack, a US marine, two members of the Iraqi security forces, four civilians and four insurgents had been killed since Thursday.

At least 23 people died violently that day, including 10 policemen in one suicide attack.

On Friday, two women and a child were killed near the northern refinery town of Baiji when their car was blown up by a bomb that exploded just after a US army convoy passed, police said.

Despite the bloodshed, Major General Peter Chiarelli, head of Task Force Baghdad and commander of the 1st Cavalry Division, insisted there was great progress in the readiness of the Iraqi army.

"The proof is the job they did in the elections," said Chiarelli at a joint press conference with Major General William Webster, whose division is to take responsibility for security in Baghdad from other American forces.

Webster said, however, there was still no timeline for US troops to hand authority to their Iraqi counterparts.

Transferring control to Iraqi security forces, a mantra for US officials and military leaders since the 2003 invasion to oust Saddam Hussein, would be "event-driven," said Webster, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division.

The January elections were policed by Iraqi security forces backed by some 150 000 US troops and did not see the carnage many had predicted.

But the killing has continued and what is seen as the key to pulling US troops out of Iraq - the ability of Iraqi forces to take responsibility for security - is taking far longer than envisaged.

Iraqi security forces have suffered from infiltration and intimidation by insurgents, and in some instances have refused to fight rebels or have fled.

The Iraqi army now numbers more than 50 000 soldiers. The government has said it wants 100 000 troops trained by July and 150 000 by year-end.

US forces meanwhile moved onto a sixth day on Friday of Operation River Blitz aimed at increasing security throughout the Sunni Arab rebel province of Al-Anbar.

The latest violence coincided with a poll in the United States which showed most Americans questioned on Iraq doubted that US troops would soon be home, despite a belief that the Iraqi elections would bring greater stability.

More than 54% said US troops would remain in Iraq at least two years, while 22% said a US military presence will be needed for more than five additional years, up from 17 percent in July.

- AFP