US soldiers killed in Iraq

2005-01-07 11:35

Washington - Seven United States soldiers were killed in Baghdad on Thursday when a roadside bomb hit their Bradley armoured fighting vehicle, killing all aboard, a military spokesperson said.

It was the largest number of US troops killed in a single attack since last month's suicide bombing in a military mess hall at a base near Mosul that killed 14 US service members.

Patricia Brewer of Baghdad's coalition forces said no soldiers in the vehicle survived the blast, which occurred in the northwestern sector of the city around 18:00.

She said: "Seven US solders were killed in Baghdad when their Bradley Fighting Vehicle was hit with an IED," using the military initials for improvised explosive device.

The military provided no other details about the attack.

Assassination of the governor

The Bradley is a heavily armed, tracked vehicle designed to do battle with tanks, if necessary, while carrying troops into battle. However, the armour plating, Tow missiles and 25mm guns were not enough to protect the troops inside.

It followed a string of suicide bombings and the assassination of the governor of Baghdad this week, evidence of the intensifying violence by insurgents bent on wrecking January 30 elections.

Lieutenant General Thomas Metz, a top commander in Iraq, earlier acknowledged to reporters in Baghdad that security in portions of four key provinces was such that elections could not be held today.

The four, al-Anbar, Nineveh, Baghdad and al Saladdin make up the Sunni heartland that has been the focus of the insurgency.

Metz said conditions would be better by the time elections are held but he said he could not guarantee the safety of everyone going to the polls, adding that insurgents will be seeking weaknesses to exploit.

He said: "I cannot put a bubble around every person walking from their home to the polling site. But, we are going to do everything we possibly can in the next few weeks to create that condition."

More than 50 attacks a day

Metz, however, said delaying the elections was the wrong thing to do and would only give the "thugs and terrorists more time to continue their intimidation, their cruelty, their brutal murders of innocent people".

He said: "I do not see any advantage to a delay. In fact, I think there is a greater chance of civil war with a delay than without one."

The general said the number of attacks has declined to about 70 a day since the end of Ramadan, but he agreed that the numbers do not adequately portray security conditions in the country.

He said US forces continue to be the target of the bulk of the attacks more than 50 a day, but there has been a shift to Iraqi security forces and officials in an effort to intimidate voters.

Major General Peter Chiarelli, the commander of US troops in Baghdad, said this week that his 35 000 troops will be out in force on election day.

- AFP