BAGHDAD,
October 4 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Anglo-American
occupation troops killed five Iraqis and wounded several
others Saturday, October 4, when they opened fire at angry Iraqi
demonstrators in Baghdad and Basra, reported Al-Jazeera channel.
In
Baghdad, U.S. troops opened fire at a crowd of former Iraqi soldiers
seeking pay back promised by the U.S.-led occupation authorities,
killing one Iraqi and injuring several others, reported Agence
France-Presse (AFP).
The
violence erupted about 8:30 am (0530 GMT) as thousands of former
enlisted men queued for back wages and pensions, the last of the
soldiers from the old regime to receive the payments.
The
angry demonstrators exchanged gunfire with U.S. soldiers, leaving two
U.S. soldiers injured.
The
clash erupted at an office compound where soldier's pay is dispersed
and lasted about an hour.
The
ex-soldiers further threw rocks and set two police cars ablaze,
officers and witnesses said.
Six
Iraqis were brought in to the Yarmuk Hospital with gunshot wounds,
including one who "was dead on arrival with a bullet to the
head," said Dr. Abbas Jaffer, who is on staff of the emergency
room.
Jaffer
said two of the five others were in serious condition with chest
wounds, and 19 other people had minor bruises and other injuries after
the bloodiest of a series of protests by irate Iraqis last week.
The
U.S. military reported two American soldiers had been wounded in the
clash, but could not confirm the toll among Iraqis.
"We
don't take Iraqi casualties," said a spokeswoman who asked not to
be named.
Provoked
Reports
conflicted as to who fired the first shot in the melee at western
Baghdad's Damascus Square.
Some
witnesses said the Americans initiated the exchange, while others and
U.S. officials blamed gunmen in the crowd.
Hazam
Kadam, one of the former soldiers on line, said the incident started
as a dispute between American troops and an elderly man in the line.
"Young
people joined in, then the Americans started shooting in the
air," Kadam said. "Then they shot at the demonstrators and
they hit six people."
Tariq
Hussein al-Mohamed Dawa, whose arm was bruised by a U.S. soldier's
rifle butt, also said the fighting started over the old man.
"The
old man walked up to the line. The Americans grabbed him and threw him
on the ground and people started throwing rocks," Dawa said, as
he was being treated at Yarmuk hospital.
Hassan
Khodair, another of the former soldiers, said the queue was badly
managed.
 |
|
A long line of former Iraqi soldiers waiting to collect payments following the bloody clashes
|
"There
were a lot of people. Many did not like to be in line. There was a
shortage of Americans. They didn't organize it well," he told
AFP.
"Some
of the people got angry. There was a fight. They (U.S. troops) started
beating people in the line. Some people started shooting at the
Americans and the Americans returned fire."
But
Major Scott Patton said the Iraqis fired on the U.S. troops, threw
thousands of rocks and torched two Iraqi police cars.
"We
returned fire at those who fired at us," he said.
Around
noon, three hours after the violence died down, the Iraqi police and
U.S. army soldiers, wielding plastic shields and clubs, announced they
would restart payments.
The
Iraqis instantly ran back and formed a line, eager to get paid and put
the troubles behind them.
Basra
Shooting
In
another development, Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that British
forces gunned down four Iraqis during a demonstration in the southern
port of Basra on Saturday.
A
British military spokesman reported earlier that his troops killed
only one Iraqi protestor.
"One
Iraqi was shot by a number of coalition force troops. He is dead.
Obviously this is a very serious matter and it's under investigation
now," said Major Niall Greenwood.
He
added that hundreds of Iraqis had been demonstrating in the morning,
but it was not clear what they were angry about.
A
few demonstrators are still out on the streets in Basra, Greenwood
remarked.
The
rallies came after a series of angry demonstrations last week by
unemployed Iraqis.
Members
of the former Iraqi security services demonstrated Thursday, October
2, to demand payment of their salaries and seek jobs in the new police
force.
Frustrations
among Iraq's unemployed boiled over into
violence Wednesday, October 1, with job-seekers
throwing rocks, setting cars ablaze and exchanging gunfire with Iraqi
police and U.S. soldiers.
Rising
Casualties
In
another development, the U.S. death toll in Iraq is still taking an
upward trajectory as one U.S. soldier was killed and another wounded
Friday, October 3, in an attack in southwestern Baghdad.
The
U.S. military said in a statement that soldiers from the 4th Infantry
Division were attacked about 11:45 pm (2045 GMT) by at least one
rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire.
Additionally,
another U.S. soldier from the army's 1st Armored Division drowned in
a swimming pool in Baghdad early Friday, the U.S. military announced
Saturday.
A
spokeswoman said the accident occurred at 10:55 am (0755 GMT) Friday
and was under investigation.
The
casualties brought to at least 188 the number of U.S. forces killed
since May 1, when Washington declared major fighting over, including
98 died of non-combat deaths, according to an AFP count.
