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CNN AMERICAN MORNING WITH PAULA ZAHN
U.S. Soldiers Shot At While Training In Kuwait
Aired October 14, 2002 - 07:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get back to our news this morning. Again, it is serious out of northern Kuwait. U.S. Marines apparently coming under fire again today, the latest in a series of confrontations between American forces -- they have faced there in less than a week's time.
On Tuesday of last week, a U.S. Marine killed, another injured, when two gunmen with suspected ties to al Qaeda opened fire on them.
For the latest on today's incident --again, it happened just a few hours ago -- Marty Savidge once again by videophone, standing by in Kuwait City with more.
Martin -- hello.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
This attack, or incident as it's being referred to here in Kuwait, occurred at about 7:50 a.m. local time in an area of northern Kuwait, a training area that's reserved for the military, probably up around Udairi.
The word is from the American embassy here that the U.S. military units up in that region came under fire from what were thought to be two civilian SUVs.
Now, the military units there say that there were no military personnel that were injured, and the U.S. forces did not return fire. There's no word of any injuries, by the way, and there is also no word on any arrests. The U.S. military, as well as Kuwaiti Security Forces, are investigating that incident.
And as you point out, this is the third incident in the last week now in which U.S. military forces have either been threatened or actually fired upon here in Kuwait during training exercises, the most serious, of course, occurring on Failaka Island last Tuesday, when two attackers opened fire on Marines there, killing one Marine and wounding another. The Marines returned fire, and the two attackers were killed.
As a result of that, there was a massive security sweep here in Kuwait, and 16 people are now under arrest, and they are thought to have links to al Qaeda. The Kuwaiti government had said prior to this incident today that they considered the whole matter closed.
That's the situation right now here in Kuwait -- Bill.
HEMMER: Martin, thanks -- Martin Savidge from Kuwait City by way of videophone.
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