US forces say they were shot at in Mosul, deny firing on crowd

MOSUL, Iraq (AFP) Apr 15, 2003
US forces accused of shooting on an angry crowd in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul Tuesday said they had come under fire from at least two gunmen and fired back, but did not aim at the crowd.

The shooting happened as the newly-appointed governor of the city was making a speech from the building housing his offices which was deemed too pro-US by his listeners, wtinesses said.

"There were protesters outside, 100 to 150, there was fire, we returned fire," a US military spokesman said.

The fire came from a roof opposite the building, about 75 metres (yards) away, he said.

"We didn't fire at the crowd, but at the top of the building," the spokesman added. "There were at least two gunmen, I don't know if they were killed."

"The firing was not intensive but sporadic, and lasted up to two minutes," the spokesman said.

SPACE.WIRE