"Indirect Fire" Kills 3 U.S.Troops in Iraq

Mortar or Rocket Attack Hits Base in 2nd Largest City of Basra; Separate Blast Kills 2 Iraqis

(AP)  Updated 9:17 a.m. ET

The U.S. military said Friday that three of its soldiers were killed in an attack on a base outside Iraq's second largest city of Basra, in the south.

Also, two Iraqis were killed and at least two dozen others were injured in bombings in Baghdad as huge crowds of pilgrims gathered to commemorate a revered Shiite saint. In Karmah, 50 miles west of the capital, the daughter and granddaughter of a police officer died in a bombing at his home.

The security situation in Iraq has improved dramatically in the last two years, though militants still carry out lethal attacks on a regular basis.

"Three Multi-National Division-South Soldiers were killed when Contingency Operating Base Basra was attacked by indirect fire," the U.S. military said, referring to a mortar or rocket attack. The attack happened around 9:15 p.m. on Thursday.

Britain, which had a large force there, has ended combat operations and begun pulling out its troops. The British bases around the city and the airport were once subject to regular mortar barrages by Shiite militias believed to have received funding and training from Iran.

Last year, Iraqi forces, with U.S. support, routed Shiite militias from their strongholds in Basra.

Col. Butch Kievenaar, the top U.S. military commander in southern Iraq, said in a Defense Department briefing earlier this week that some Iraqi extremists who had gone to Iran have returned to the Basra region.

He said he believed they were pursuing criminal activities such as extortion, and there had been no clear sign that they had a "militia" agenda.

He said some groups were still receiving support from Iran, but "most of the individuals that we see or deal with on a daily basis" are no longer receiving the same level of backing from the Iranians as in the past.

Iran denies links to Shiite extremists.

In Karmah, two bombs exploded around 3 a.m. Friday near the house of police Capt. Bahjat Khawam. The bombs were planted under the police officer's car and near a gate to his house. The police officer's 12-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old granddaughter were killed in the attack. Khawam, who works in Karmah police station, and other six family members were wounded.

In Baghdad, a bomb planted under a bridge killed a married couple who were among hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims heading to a holy shrine to commemorate Imam Mousa al-Kazim, a revered Shiite figure.

Twelve others were injured when the bomb exploded around 2:30 a.m. Friday, according to police and medical officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk to the media. Iraqi officials say three other roadside bombs targeting pilgrims in Baghdad wounded at least 15 people.

At the same event in 2005, nearly 1,000 Shiite pilgrims died in a stampede during a religious procession on a bridge near the shrine. They panicked when they heard unfounded rumors of a suicide bomber, and crushed one another or plunged into the Tigris River.

Under former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, these pilgrimages were severely curtailed. After his fall, they experienced a massive resurgence but have also been targeted by Sunni insurgents. Security in Baghdad was tightened, especially around the shrine in the northern Baghdad neighborhood of Kazimiyah.

[tautomer]

More die under Obama the Warmonger. Meanwhile he's starting to lie about civilian casualties. Notice how suddenly CBS' stories claim all the dead are Taliban or militants?

As far a "freedom not being free", pcevet4. Exactly what "freedoms" are we fighting for in Iraq or Afghanistan? This is a phrase which last applied in WWII. No war since then has been about defending our "freedoms". It's a nice thing to say when you want to glorify Obama's Wars, but be honest. There are no "freedoms" being defended.

The freedom's we need to defend are things like not allowing Obama to do his warrentless wiretaps. Remember Obama was a BIG proponent of FISA. Change you can deceive with.

[dahizzle]

What's pissing off the Arabs in Iraq are all the churches those Bible-thumping Krishtons are building over there. Missionaries have started many, many wars. Keep them out of Iraq.

[native_warrior_USMC]

I think it's amazing that you posted a comment for the sole purpose of bad-mouthing someone else's poetic skills. You made no comment on the story at all. This story, though not Pulitzer material, is still important news. Reguardless of what people think, the Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen serving over there beleive in what they are doing. They, we, volunteered to going the military. We were not forced to join and it was our choice to go over. Sadly enough, it is for your freedom for which we fought and are continuing to fight. Iraq may not of have been trying to invade our shores, but it was the ideology, beliefs, and crimes against humanity we fought against. So as you sit in your nice little life, remember that there are men and women putting their lives on the line for a cause they, as well as millions of other Americans, believe in. Then again, I honestly don't expect you to think of that. Judging from your comment above, common sense, and intellect escape you. As a person who lived among the Iraqi people for seven months, talking, visiting, sharing meals in their homes, I would have to say that we are winning the war. We are succeeding. Their lives are better, and our's are better and safe because of it. Stop believing everything the media tells you and experience it for yourself. I guarentee it will be a real eye-opener.

[pcevet4]

Same old, same old. Out of 58,000 of us killed in Vietnam, no doubt many thousands were killed by "indirect fire". Its the same old tired rhetoric about freedom not being free and sending our kids all over hell to "preserve our freedom". No one is any better off for Vietnam, Iraq or Afhanistan. Bring them all home and pay each of them $100,000 in reparations for being sent to war under false pretenses.

[mejordelahistoria]

tomzart are you in elementary school? your poetry stinks. Oh I get it youare a remnant of no child left behind.

[didserve]

why is America still in Iraq?

[Joe_NY_15]

We have a large number of Army and Air bases that need to be manned, protected and logistically supported....the purpose is to launch strikes against insurgents or rogue dictators in the region....expect America to remain in Iraq indefinitely....for a reason which benefits us strategically and tactically

[underdogus09]

We have to control the Iraq oil,simple as that....

[reagansteven]

All I hear about is US soliders dieing. They seem to be able to kill us.. Why can;t we kill them??

[Joe_NY_15]

That's because the terrorist loving dems and their bias media won't report deaths of the enemy....only deaths of Americans to undermine the operation to the best of their ability.....they can't help themselves...at this point, they are only hurting themselves, since it's 'on their watch'

[reagansteven]

why is it so hard to kill the bad guys??

[cs4466]

Republicans breed like rabbits.

[underdogus09]

define "the bad guys" you mean the American Terrorist invader?

[rharrin1]

No just the terrorists bush and cheney and all their little goose stepping followers.

[Joe_NY_15]

A group committed to establishing an international Islamic empire and reportedly linked to Al Qaeda is stepping up its Western recruitment efforts by holding its first official conference in the U.S.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is a global Sunni network with reported ties to confessed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Al Qaeda in Iraq's onetime leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. It has operated discreetly in the U.S. for decades.

Now, it is coming out of the shadows and openly hosting a July 19 conference entitled, "The Fall of Capitalism and the Rise of Islam," at a posh Hilton hotel in a suburb of CHICAGO !!!!

[rharrin1]

Didn't you say before that it was going to be held at your house?

[firstsai]

The last soldier out of Iraq will get shot in the back, and there will be a civil war of epic proportions. Power hates a vacuum, and there are a lot of scores that will need settling.

[andouzy]

Us forces has satellite night vision system survey balloon phalanx system , sismic system to detect movement from very far away , drones
directed energy system how all thoes equipements is it possible to see what have juste happened?
the worst is that US knows very well who did that attack!!!

[YCantWeAllGetAlong]

Why don't these people postpone the super large gatherings related to religion when all this sectarian violence is going on? Don't they have ANY common sense? Our soldiers need to leave and let these people blow themselves up instead of taking our sons and daughters with them.

[ajjaxtheleast]

Sites are allowed to report that U.S. soldiers are
killed,,, but only if, UNFAILINGLY, the report of the
soldiers' deaths is followed by: "However,, violence
in Iraq has decreased dramatically in the last year."
,,,(No alternative to this addendum,,,except in the
case of Fox News where they capitalize "DECREASED".

Also, sites must NEVER banner "U.S. Soldiers Killed
By Morter Attack",,,Our military accepts, if not
whole-heartedly approves, "indirect fire".

[underdogus09]

"U.S. Threatens Afghans Over Kidnapped GI",keep threating civilians,it will come back as bad Karma....