5th SA man killed in Iraq
2004-04-29 09:41
Baghdad - A civilian, believed to be South African, has been killed in a shooting in the southern Iraqi port city of Basra, a spokesperson for the British military said on Thursday.
"We can confirm there was a shooting incident this morning in Basra at approximately 07:15 and a non-Iraqi civilian has been killed," said Major Ian Clooney for the British military in Basra.
"We believe him to be a South African."
He said the Iraqi police were at the scene with British troops, part of a near 8 000-strong force that controls oil-rich southern Iraq, as part of the US-led coalition.
"The lead is being taken by the Iraqi police," said a spokesperson for the ministry of defence in London.
Witnesses reported earlier that there had been an attack on a sports utility vehicle with Kuwaiti licence plates and one passenger inside, but there was no independent confirmation.
The South African government said it was trying to ascertain what had happened.
"We don't have a mission in Iraq and that's part of the problem of getting information," foreign ministry spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa told AFP.
"We've noted the media reports regarding the death of a South African in Iraq. We are still liaising with our mission in Amman, Jordan with the view to determine the circumstances leading to the death and details of the deceased."
The attack came after five suicide bombings in and around Basra on April 21 killed 74 people and wounded at least 160 more. The coalition said they suspected al-Qaeda was behind the attacks.