RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: AMERICANS DELIBERATELY FIRED AT RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS' MOTORCADE
Novosti
April 7, 2003
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TANAF CHECKPOINT /Syrian-Iraqi border/, April 7. (from Alexander Krasnov, a RIA Novosti correspondent) -- Russian ambassador to Iraq Vladimir Titorenko believes that the motorcade of Russian cars with diplomats and journalists was deliberately fired at by Americans. During the attack, the ambassador suffered a slight hand wound. Doctors rendered aid to the ambassador.

According to the ambassador, Americans delivered fire deliberately.

Four out of the six cars had bullet holes, all of them made by M-16 rifles, reported the military experts who examined the cars. The Russian ambassador's car had three bullet holes. Journalists saw two M-16 bullets being taken out of the car.

On the motorcade's way from Baghdad to the Syrian capital, the American military stopped the motorcade several times and tried to examine the cars, but the Russian diplomats refused to obey the Americans, Vladimir Titorenko said.

Twelve people headed by ambassador Vladimir Titorenko arrived at the Tanaf checkpoint on the Syrian-Iraqi border.

Four persons were injured. They were rendered medical aid in Iraq, and an embassy doctor continues to treat them now.

Two people stayed in Faluja. These are a gravely wounded driver of a car and an accompanying diplomat.

According to Vladimir Titorenko, Iraqi doctors performed a good operation on the wounded man.

The motorcade made up of six cars with Russian embassy officials has headed for Damascus. They are supposed to fly to Moscow by a special flight organised by the Emergencies Ministry.

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