- BAGHDAD -- In a dramatic
upsurge in attacks, resistance fighters destroyed an American tank north
of Baghdad and wounded seven Ukrainians in the first ambush of multinational
troops stationed south of the capital, US and coalition officials said
yesterday.
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- US policy in Iraq suffered another setback when the international
Red Cross announced it was reducing its international staff in the country,
two days after a deadly suicide car-bombing at its Baghdad headquarters.
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- Secretary of State Colin Powell had urged the Red Cross
and other non-government organizations to remain in Iraq because "if
they are driven out, then the terrorists win."
-
- The latest attacks - 233 over the last seven days according
to the US military - have driven the combat death toll during the occupation
over the number killed before President George W. Bush declared an end
to active combat on May 1.
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- Two American soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division
were killed and one was wounded late Tuesday when their Abrams main battle
tank apparently hit a land mine near Balad, 70 kilometers north of Baghdad,
division spokeswoman Maj. Jossyln Aberle said.
-
- Their deaths brought to 117 the number of American soldiers
killed by hostile fire since Bush declared active combat over. A total
of 114 US soldiers were killed between the start of the war March 20 and
the end of April.
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- It was the first M1 Abrams main battle tank destroyed
since the end of major combat May 1, military officials said. During the
active combat phase, several of the 68-ton vehicles - the mainstay of the
US Armyâs armored forces - were disabled in combat.
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- The ambush of the Ukrainians occurred Tuesday night when
two armored personnel carriers rolled over land mines near Suwayrah, about
65 kilometers southeast of Baghdad.
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- After the vehicles were disabled, unidentified gunmen
opened fire on the disembarked soldiers, a spokesman for the multinational
division at Camp Babylon said on condition of anonymity.
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- About 1,650 Ukrainians are serving in the Polish-led
stabilization force patrolling central and southern Iraq. The spokesman
said it was the first ambush of coalition forces in the Polish sector.
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- In Geneva, the International Committee of the Red Cross
said it would remain in Iraq, but would reduce the number of international
staff - currently about 30 - and increase the security of those who remain.
The agency also has 600 Iraqi employees.
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- "The ICRC remains committed to helping the people
of Iraq," said Pierre Kraehenbuehl, director of operations of the
ICRC.
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- The Brussels-based humanitarian organization, Medecins
Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders, also announced it was pulling
out part of its international staff from Iraq for security reasons.
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- Officials of the group said medical personnel had been
scheduled to leave Baghdad in the near future, but their departure was
hastened by the Red Cross attack.
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- "The reduction was foreseen," spokeswoman Linda
Van Weyenberg said. "It was sped up because of events. It's a balance
between the security of the staff and the needs of the population on the
ground."
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- Baghdad police commander Maj. Gen. Hassan Al-Obeid yesterday
announced new measures to bolster security in the capital, including additional
24-hour checkpoints and special patrols around sensitive locations, according
to coalition-run Iraqi television.
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