13/08/2003

US soldier dies in Iraq ambush

A US soldier was killed and another two were injured when three improvised bombs exploded amid a convoy in Iraq yesterday.

The incident occurred near Ar Ramadi in central Iraq. The wounded soldiers were treated at the 28th Combat Support Hospital, and one has been returned to duty.

The US Central Command also revealed that Iraqi and coalition forces conducted joint operations on Monday to seize weapons and detain Ba'athist loyalists. Elsewhere, at the village of Tal Alseer, Iraqis working with the US Marines collected one 82mm mortar tube, hundreds of mortar rounds and one 14.5mm anti-aircraft gun, plus 16 boxes of ammunition.

During a recent raid of a suspected arms dealer, soldiers in Iraq confiscated almost 1,500 rounds of small-calibre ammunition, 17 AK-47 automatic weapons, 19 20mm flares, four grenades, one 9mm pistol and one rifle.

In the past 24 hours, US-coalition forces in Iraq conducted 32 raids, 825 daytime patrols and 638 night patrols.

Meanwhile, US authorities have expressed regrets over the killing of two Pakistani soldiers along the Pakistani/Afghan border. A third soldier was also wounded in the exchange.

"The Pakistanis were mistakenly hit by coalition close-air support ordnance during a military operation near Orgun, Afghanistan," US Central Command said.

The incident is currently under investigation.

(gmcg)

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