- "...over the weekend, guerrillas killed two South
Korean electricians, a Colombian contractor for the US military, seven
Spanish military intelligence agents, two Japanese diplomats and two American
soldiers."
-
- BAGHDAD -- Washington's allies
came in to the cross-hairs of Iraqi insurgents over the weekend in attacks
that complicated efforts to expand an Allied military force to support
the US-led occupation.
-
- US soldiers also repelled a series of co-ordinated attacks
by insurgents, killing 46 Iraqis in Samarra last night, according to the
US military.
-
- The incident was the climax of a weekend of violence
during which 14 people from five nations were killed in guerrilla attacks.
Assaults on Iraqis who are deemed to be co-operating with the "coalition"
have increased. But, over the weekend, guerrillas killed two South Korean
electricians, a Colombian contractor for the US military, seven Spanish
military intelligence agents, two Japanese diplomats and two American soldiers.
-
- The South Koreans, who worked for a company based in
Seoul, were shot while riding in a civilian car near Tikrit. Two other
South Koreans were wounded in the attack. They were hired to lay electricity
lines to a transmission station. At the scene of the attack yesterday,
a bullet-ridden four-wheel-drive covered in blood sat by the side of the
road between Tikrit and Samarra.
-
- The attack was on the same highway where two Japanese
diplomats were shot dead on Saturday after they stopped at a roadside food
stall. Both Japan and South Korea have been wavering over whether to send
troops to Iraq. Contractors are becoming guerrilla targets, even though
a number of them are paying large sums for heavily armed private security
guards. Suicide bombers have caused international diplomats and aid agencies
to withdraw many foreign staff from Iraq.
-
- The attack on the South Koreans happened not far from
Al-Awja, Saddam Hussein's birthplace and a centre of anti-American sentiment.
It came a day after the US military which has enclosed the village with
razor wire eased restrictions on residents' movements.
-
- During the attacks in Samarra, US troops from the 4th
Infantry Division killed 46 Iraqis, captured eight and injured 18 after
the rebels attempted to beseige its convoys. A number of the attackers
were reportedly wearing the uniform of the Fedayeen, a militia formed by
Saddam when he was in power. A US military spokesman said: "In all
the clashes, coalition firepower overwhelmed the attackers, resulting in
significant enemy losses."
-
- On Saturday, seven Spanish military intelligence agents
were ambushed and shot while they returned to Baghdad along Highway 8
considered by many to be the most dangerous road in the country.
-
- Japan's Premier, Junichiro Koizumi, was defiant yesterday
about the death of his envoys. He said that Japan would "not give
in to terrorism", and remained committed to supplying humanitarian
and reconstruction assistance to Iraq. He said that he was "furious"
about what had happened. The killings are likely to fuel debate in Japan
over whether to send troops to Iraq. Last month, Japan's plans to deploy
forces to "non-combat" zones were put on hold after a suicide
bomber blew up an Italian base in Nasiriyah, killing 28.
-
- The fact that the insurgents are singling out America's
allies is causing concern among British officials.
-
- "We are wondering if we will be next," said
a source. The dozens of British officials in Baghdad are already subject
to extraordinary security measures and checks.
-
- © 2003 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd
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- http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=468916
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