Post by Salem6 on Nov 30, 2003 9:48:41 GMT
Eleven people have been killed in a series of ambushes by Iraqi insurgents at the end of the worst month so far for coalition casualties.
Two Japanese diplomats were shot at a roadside food stall near Tikrit, hours after seven Spanish officers were killed in an attack south of Baghdad.
Tikrit has seen frequent attacks since the fall of Saddam Hussein
Two US soldiers died when their convoy was attacked by insurgents near the Syrian border on Saturday afternoon.
More than 100 coalition troops have been killed in November.
Only hours before the ambushes, the US commander in Iraq had hailed a 30% fall in attacks on the coalition in the past two weeks.
Coalition deaths in November
79 United States troops
19 Italians
7 Spaniards
1 Pole
Operation Iron Hammer and Ivy Cyclone II - major US initiatives against insurgents around Baghdad and Tikrit - had seen a "significant reduction" in attacks, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez said.
But the general acknowledged there had been problems with some Iraqi police and civilian informants, who he said had been co-ordinating attacks on coalition targets.
No official figures are kept of the Iraqi death toll, but at least 250 Iraqis are believed to have been killed in anti-occupation resistance attacks since 1 May.
'Japanese stopped for food'
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has said Japan will continue to fight terrorism despite the deaths of its diplomats.
The pair were shot dead by attackers with "small calibre weapons" as they stopped at a roadside food stall en route to a reconstruction conference in Tikrit, the US military said.
Only one Spanish officer survived the ambush
A Lebanese national was wounded in the same incident.
Japan is deliberating whether to send a small contingent of troops to back the US-led coalition in Iraq.
Earlier, an eight-member team of Spanish intelligence officers came under attack near the town of Hilla, as their convoy returned from a mission.
Only one man survived the ambush, Spanish Defence Minister Federico Trillo said.
It was the deadliest single attack on Spanish troops since the country joined the coalition.
Bush sends sympathy
Spain has 1,300 troops serving with the Polish-led multinational contingent in the south of the country.
"We are grateful to all the people who serve Spain beyond our borders fighting terrorism and guaranteeing freedom." Jose Maria Michavila Spanish Justice Minister
Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has been one of the strongest supporters of the US-led invasion of Iraq, despite significant domestic opposition.
US President George Bush - who visited Baghdad to boost troops' morale last week - telephoned Mr Aznar "to express his sympathies on behalf of the American people", the White House said.
Spain's King Juan Carlos professed his profound sorrow over the deaths.
Intelligence fears
The BBC's Peter Greste, in Baghdad, says there is no evidence that the attacks on officials of the two allies of the US were in any way linked.
But if they were, it implies that the insurgency has better information about the movements of its targets than anyone previously thought, he says.
And the attacks will further damage public support for any involvement in Iraq amongst a public already jittery in both Japan and Spain, our correspondent adds.
Meanwhile, the United States military says two of its soldiers were killed and another injured in a rocket-propelled grenade attack at Husabayah near the Syrian border on Saturday.
The soldiers from the Third Armoured Cavalry Regiment were ambushed on the main Euphrates valley highway east of Husabaya.
The soldier who survived was taken to a nearby field hospital, the US military said.
A total of 106 coalition troops are believed to have died in Iraq during November.
They included 81 US troops, the seven Spaniards and 17 Italian soldiers who were killed in the bombing of the Italian military headquarters in Nasiriya.
Video:-
The BBC's Tristana Moore
"Yet another set back for the coalition forces"
news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39544000/rm/_39544884_iraq08_moore_vi.ram
Two Japanese diplomats were shot at a roadside food stall near Tikrit, hours after seven Spanish officers were killed in an attack south of Baghdad.
Tikrit has seen frequent attacks since the fall of Saddam Hussein
Two US soldiers died when their convoy was attacked by insurgents near the Syrian border on Saturday afternoon.
More than 100 coalition troops have been killed in November.
Only hours before the ambushes, the US commander in Iraq had hailed a 30% fall in attacks on the coalition in the past two weeks.
Coalition deaths in November
79 United States troops
19 Italians
7 Spaniards
1 Pole
Operation Iron Hammer and Ivy Cyclone II - major US initiatives against insurgents around Baghdad and Tikrit - had seen a "significant reduction" in attacks, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez said.
But the general acknowledged there had been problems with some Iraqi police and civilian informants, who he said had been co-ordinating attacks on coalition targets.
No official figures are kept of the Iraqi death toll, but at least 250 Iraqis are believed to have been killed in anti-occupation resistance attacks since 1 May.
'Japanese stopped for food'
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has said Japan will continue to fight terrorism despite the deaths of its diplomats.
The pair were shot dead by attackers with "small calibre weapons" as they stopped at a roadside food stall en route to a reconstruction conference in Tikrit, the US military said.
Only one Spanish officer survived the ambush
A Lebanese national was wounded in the same incident.
Japan is deliberating whether to send a small contingent of troops to back the US-led coalition in Iraq.
Earlier, an eight-member team of Spanish intelligence officers came under attack near the town of Hilla, as their convoy returned from a mission.
Only one man survived the ambush, Spanish Defence Minister Federico Trillo said.
It was the deadliest single attack on Spanish troops since the country joined the coalition.
Bush sends sympathy
Spain has 1,300 troops serving with the Polish-led multinational contingent in the south of the country.
"We are grateful to all the people who serve Spain beyond our borders fighting terrorism and guaranteeing freedom." Jose Maria Michavila Spanish Justice Minister
Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar has been one of the strongest supporters of the US-led invasion of Iraq, despite significant domestic opposition.
US President George Bush - who visited Baghdad to boost troops' morale last week - telephoned Mr Aznar "to express his sympathies on behalf of the American people", the White House said.
Spain's King Juan Carlos professed his profound sorrow over the deaths.
Intelligence fears
The BBC's Peter Greste, in Baghdad, says there is no evidence that the attacks on officials of the two allies of the US were in any way linked.
But if they were, it implies that the insurgency has better information about the movements of its targets than anyone previously thought, he says.
And the attacks will further damage public support for any involvement in Iraq amongst a public already jittery in both Japan and Spain, our correspondent adds.
Meanwhile, the United States military says two of its soldiers were killed and another injured in a rocket-propelled grenade attack at Husabayah near the Syrian border on Saturday.
The soldiers from the Third Armoured Cavalry Regiment were ambushed on the main Euphrates valley highway east of Husabaya.
The soldier who survived was taken to a nearby field hospital, the US military said.
A total of 106 coalition troops are believed to have died in Iraq during November.
They included 81 US troops, the seven Spaniards and 17 Italian soldiers who were killed in the bombing of the Italian military headquarters in Nasiriya.
Video:-
The BBC's Tristana Moore
"Yet another set back for the coalition forces"
news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39544000/rm/_39544884_iraq08_moore_vi.ram