|
The convoy carrying the Russian ambassador
to Iraq and diplomatic staff was attacked on the road from Baghdad to Syria and there are several injured, a Russian foreign
ministry spokesman said.
"The car convoy with members of the Russian embassy in Iraq, including the ambassador, came under attack
leaving Baghdad in the direction of the Syrian border," the spokesman told AFP. He said officials did not yet know if the
envoy himself was among the injured.
The Russian foreign ministry summoned the US and Iraqi ambassadors to Moscow
"urgently and in a harsh way", the spokesman said, adding that it demanded "they take all possible measures to ensure the
security of Russian citizens."
President Vladimir Putin has been informed about the incident, the Kremlin press service
said.
Russian ambassador to Iraq Vladimir Titorenko left Baghdad for Damascus early Sunday as US troops advanced on
the Iraqi capital.
Meanwhile, Iraq said its troops destroyed or damaged 16 US tanks close to Baghdad
airport overnight and killed around 50 US soldiers. "Republican Guards are still tightening the noose around the US enemy
in the area surrounding the airport," said Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf.
"We destroyed six
tanks and damaged 10 others and killed 50 of the enemies' forces." He claimed Iraqi troops had shot down two US Apache helicopters
in a town south of Baghdad.
They also destroyed a number of other tanks in various clashes in central and southern
Iraq, he said. (Albawaba.com)
|
