U.S. Soldier Killed in Baghdad Attack

Associated Press. Tue, June 10th 2003

WASHINGTON - One U.S. Army soldier was killed and another was injured Tuesday when attackers fired rocket-propelled grenades at American troops in

Baghdad, Central Command said.

The soldiers were attacked at a collection point for illegal weapons in the southwestern part of the Iraqi capital, Central Command said in a statement.

Names of the soldiers, who were from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, were withheld Tuesday until their relatives

could be notified.

The attack began when a van with four people inside stopped in an alley about 250 yards from the American troops, the Central Command statement said. Two people got out of the van, and each fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the Americans. One grenade fell short of the Americans and another struck a U.S. vehicle, the statement said.

American forces searched the area for the attackers, but the statement did not say whether any suspects were found.

The weapons collection point was part of a U.S. program to try to rid the country of the thousands of heavy weapons in Iraqi hands. American officials

have banned Iraqis from having anything but light weapons, ordering citizens to turn them in to U.S. forces or Iraqi police by Saturday or face up to a

year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Dozens of American troops have been killed in recent weeks during an escalation of armed skirmishes with Iraqis. Pentagon officials say at least some of the attacks appear to be part of a coordinated campaign against the U.S. troops occupying Iraq.