American troops shot dead 46 Iraqis and detained eight in a series of attempted ambushes on U.S. convoys in the central Iraqi city of Samarra, on Sunday, a US military spokesman said, according to Reuters.
"The fourth infantry division repelled multiple ambush attacks," Lieutenant Colonel William MacDonald told reporters, adding that at least 18 Iraqis, five American troops and a civilian traveling with the convoys also were injured during the ambushes.
According to MacDonald, many of the dead attackers were found wearing uniforms of the Fedayeen, a militia loyal to Saddam Hussein.
Locals provided different versions about the incident. According to them, occupation troops killed unarmed bystanders when they opened fire on all directions.
Workers at a nearby pharmaceutical plant said at least two colleagues were shot dead and many injured as they walked out of the factory gates at the end of their shift. An AFP reported saw blood spattered on the ground and bullet holes in the sentry box to left of the white factory gates.
According to the American side, two U.S. supply convoys were moving into Samarra, north of Baghdad, when they were attacked with roadside bombs, small arms fire, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. The attacks - one on the east side of the city, the other on the west - were simultaneous and appeared to be coordinated, MacDonald stated.
After setting up a barricade along the route of one of the convoys, the attackers opened fire from rooftops and alleyways, he added.
MacDonald conveyed American forces returned fire from several locations at each ambush, using small arms, 120mm tank rounds and 25mm canon fire from Bradley fighting vehicles. The U.S. fire destroyed three buildings the attackers were using, he said.
He added: "We're sending a clear message that anyone who attempts to attack our convoys will pay the price."
In a separate attack about an hour later, another convoy of U.S. military engineers was ambushed by four men with automatic rifles. The soldiers returned fire, wounding all four men, MacDonald said. He said soldiers found Kalashnikov rifles and grenade launchers in their car, a black BMW.
None of the wounded Americans suffered life-threatening injuries, MacDonald said. Two sustained only minor injuries, while the other three were evacuated, along with the wounded civilian. (Albawaba.com)
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