Iraqi fighters dropped a homemade bomb from a bridge onto a passing U.S. military convoy in Baghdad on Tuesday, while another military vehicle struck a land mine in the capital. At least seven U.S. soldiers were injured in those and other attacks throughout the country, the military said, according to AP.
Two soldiers were injured in the bridge attack, and two others when the military vehicle struck a land mine, said Sgt. Patrick Compton. In Kirkuk, Iraqi assailants fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a military convoy, injuring three servicemen. The patrol returned fire, but there was no word of Iraqi casualties or arrests.
Elsewhere, unidentified assailants lobbed grenades at a police station in northern Baghdad overnight, injuring two Iraqi policemen, US officials said on Tuesday.
At least two attackers detonated three or more grenades and raked with gunfire a police station in the city's Ash-Shab district, where US military police are positioned to train members of Iraq's new police force.
"Two Iraqi police were wounded by shrapnel, one in the hand and one in the pelvis," a US intelligence officer told AFP.
An exchange of fire ensued, in which the American army said it believed one attacker was injured but managed to flee. No Americans were reported injured. Witnesses said three Iraqis — including a 13-year-old boy — were killed following this attack. Witnesses told Associated Press Television News that those killed when troops returned fire were not among those who attacked the police station.
Meanwhile, eight U.S. soldiers were killed when two armored vehicles came under fire in Baghdad early Tuesday, eyewitnesses told IslamOnline.net.
All the eight soldiers were probably charred in the vehicles targeted by rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) in the main street linking the Baghdad International Airport and Al-Amel and Al-Bayaa street to the west, according to the eyewitnesses account, yet to be confirmed by other sources.
Apache helicopters rushed to the scene to clear the area, the eyewitnesses said.
In a related development, occupation forces in Iraq announced Tuesday rewards starting at 2,500 dollars for information leading to the arrest of those behind a wave of attacks on US troops and local police in Iraq.
"Coalition forces will give a 2,500 dollar reward to those who give us information leading to the arrest of people responsible for killing or shooting coalition soldiers or Iraqi policemen," the Coalition newspaper said.
"The minimum reward is 2,500 dollars and will be greater for more important information," the Arabic language Al-Sabah said.
Members of the public were invited to call two satellite telephone numbers, printed in the paper, with occupation forces promising to treat all information in confidence.
The announcement said people could also directly approach any Iraqi police officer or "coalition soldier" with information and that it would be treated in full confidence. (Albawaba.com)
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