Witnesses said Saturday that Iraqi forces opened fire on six vehicles, including three minibuses, after a U.S. convoy came under attack in a central Iraqi town south of Baghdad, killing or injuring more than a dozen people. Eyewitnesses speaking to Associated Press Television News said an American convoy was attacked early Saturday near the town of Haswa, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the capital. After the U.S. troops pulled out, Iraqi police and National Guards arrived on the scene. Witnesses said Iraqi troops opened fire randomly and used hand grenades, hitting three minibuses and three trucks. The U.S. military had no immediate response. Doctor Salah al-Janabi of Iskandariyah General Hospital said the hospital received at least 11 bodies, and at least another 15 people were injured. He said more casualties could have been taken to other hospitals. The area is a major insurgent hotspot where ambushes and attacks against U.S. and Iraqi forces are common.
