Armed looters attack hospital

2003-04-10 18:41

Baghdad - Looters carying guns stole two ambulances and medicines from the al-Kindi hospital, one of Baghdad's leading civilian treatment centres, on Thursday, reporters said.

US troops called to assist replied that they had no orders to intervene.

Medical staff said they were powerless to stop the thieves following a breakdown of order since the regime disappeared on Wednesday as US forces moved into central Baghdad.

However, two American troop transporters and a dozen men have been deployed outside the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Iraqi capital.

Red Cross delegates have been unable to visit the city's hospitals for the last 48 hours because of a lack of security, ICRC spokesperson Roland Huguenin-Benjamin said.

- AFX