Russian convoy comes under attack

The convoy carrying the Russianambassador to Iraq and diplomatic staff was attacked Sunday on theroad from Baghdad to Syria and…

The convoy carrying the Russianambassador to Iraq and diplomatic staff was attacked Sunday on theroad from Baghdad to Syria and there are several injured, a foreignministry spokesman said.

"The car convoy with members of the Russian embassy in Iraq,including the ambassador, came under attack leaving Baghdad in thedirection of the Syrian border," the spokesman told journalists.

He said officials did not yet know whether the convoy came underattack from Iraqi or US-led coalition forces or if the envoy himselfwas among the injured.

The Russian foreign ministry summoned the US and Iraqiambassadors to Moscow "urgently and in a harsh way", the spokesmansaid, adding that it demanded "they take all possible measures toensure the security of Russian citizens."

READ MORE

Russian ambassador to Iraq Vladimir Titorenko left Baghdad forDamascus early Sunday as US troops advanced on the Iraqi capital.Russia, one of the most fervent opponents to the US-led war, had

kept its Baghdad embassy operational with a skeleton staff afterwithdrawing all non-essential personnel in the days leading up tothe start of the US-led offensive last month.

Russia protested loudly last week when the building was almosthit by US bombs. Baghdad has come under daily bombing raids sincethe war began on March 20.

The US-British coalition kept up its aerial and ground blitz onthe Iraqi capital Sunday, and reports from Baghdad said the south ofthe city came under particularly heavy bombardment early in theafternoon.

AFP