Fierce clashes in northern Iraq

MOSUL – Insurgents armed with rocket propelled grenades fought fierce clashes with US soldiers in northern Iraq yesterday that wounded more than 30 Iraqi civilians caught in the crossfire, police and US forces said.

The US military said it killed two of the attackers in the clashes early on Sunday around Tal Afar near the city of Mosul. There were no American casualties, the military said.A military statement said that at around 3am (2300 GMT Saturday) guerrillas fired eight rocket-propelled grenades from near a police station and a mosque.Three hours later another rocket-propelled grenade was fired from the mosque.”In both attacks, US soldiers returned fire, responding proportionately and precisely, killing two insurgents in the second attack,” the statement said.It said 34 civilians were wounded by flying debris and broken glass, 26 of them women and children.- Nampa-ReutersThere were no American casualties, the military said.A military statement said that at around 3am (2300 GMT Saturday) guerrillas fired eight rocket-propelled grenades from near a police station and a mosque.Three hours later another rocket-propelled grenade was fired from the mosque.”In both attacks, US soldiers returned fire, responding proportionately and precisely, killing two insurgents in the second attack,” the statement said.It said 34 civilians were wounded by flying debris and broken glass, 26 of them women and children.- Nampa-Reuters