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US: Russian attack in Iraq area
06/04/2003 18:31 - (SA)
As Saliyah, Qatar - US Central Command said here on Sunday that Iraq controls the area where a Russian diplomatic convoy was said to have been fired on as it evacuated the ambassador out of the country toward Syria.
"Based on the reported location, the incident is believed to have taken place in territory controlled by the Iraqi regime," a statement said, adding that "initial reports" showed no presence of US-led coalition forces nearby.
A Russian foreign ministry spokesperson in Moscow said several Russians were injured when the convoy evacuating ambassador Vladimir Titorenko came under fire.
A Jordan-based diplomat, quoting Russian sources, told AFP in Amman that Titorenko was injured in the incident.
"The car convoy with members of the Russian embassy in Iraq, including the ambassador, came under attack leaving Baghdad in the direction of the Syrian border," the Russian ministry spokesperson said.
He said officials did not know whether the convoy came under attack from Iraqi or US-led coalition forces. Convoy 'attacked twice'
A witness told Interfax news agency from Baghdad that about 25 people - mostly Russian journalists - were driving in the convoy, which he said came under attack twice.
Russia, one of the most fervent opponents to the US-led war, had kept its Baghdad embassy operational with a skeleton staff after withdrawing all non-essential personnel in the days leading up to the start of the war.
"We were aware of them leaving Iraq. We certainly had information about that and had an anticipation of how they might move," Brigadier General Vincent Brooks at the US Central Command base in Qatar said earlier.
"We wanted to ensure we would provide them with as much protection as we could," he said. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA
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