--- SEARCH ---
WEATHER
CHINA
INTERNATIONAL
BUSINESS
CULTURE
GOVERNMENT
SCI-TECH
ENVIRONMENT
SPORTS
LIFE
PEOPLE
TRAVEL
WEEKLY REVIEW
Chinese Women
Film in China
War on Poverty
Learning Chinese
Learn to Cook Chinese Dishes
Exchange Rates
Hotel Service
China Calendar
Telephone and
Postal Codes
Hot Links
China Development Gateway
Chinese Embassies
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the UN
Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
24 Coalition Troops Killed in Friendly Fire, Accidents Since Iraqi War Began
A British tank exchanged with a British tank. A US Patroit missile shot down a British war plane. Friendly fires and non-combat accidents have killed at least 24 soldiers of the US-British coalition forces fighting a war in Iraq to oust President Saddam Hussein since the war began.

The British Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that two British tank crew were killed late Monday in "a friendly fire" incident near the Iraqi second largest city of Basra.

The soldiers were killed Monday night in a friendly fire incident from another British Challenger during a night battle with Iraqi forces on the outskirts of Basra, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense told Xinhua.

The two soldiers were from the Queen's Royal Lancers operating a Challenger II main battle tank, the spokesman said.

"It is with deep regret that the Ministry of Defense has to confirm the death of Corporal Stephen John Allbutt, 35, and Trooper David Jeffrey Clarke, 19," he added.

Army chiefs investigating the incident have not disclosed whether the tank which fired the fatal shot was from the same regiment.

The Challenger II is the British Army's main battle tank and entered service in June 1998. Its advanced thermal imaging system, used to function at night, is regarded as the best in the world.

Also on Monday, a US F-16 plane hit a Patriot battery by mistake near Iraq's southern Shiite city of Najaf.

The bombing knocked out its radar but fortunately causing no casualties, Lt.Mark Kitchens, a US Central Command spokesman, was quoted as confirming, adding it took place on Monday about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Najaf.

The F-16 fired an AGM-88 high-speed anti-radiation missile at the battery and damaged its radar, the spokesman said.

Early on Sunday, the US troops fired a Patriot missile at a British Royal Air Force Tornado plane over the Gulf. Two British crew were killed.

US Ambassador to Britain William Farish told the BBC on Sunday that the loss of the plane was "absolutely terrible."

"Friendly fire is something we have lived with for ages throughout wars, but to have it happen in a way like this is very sad," Farish said.

The loss of the Tornado, which normally carries a two-man crew, came after two Royal Navy Sea King helicopters from the Ark Royal collided over the Gulf last Saturday, with the loss of all seven crew members including one American.

The helicopter collision followed an American helicopter crash last Friday. A CH-46 Sea Knight crashed over the Kuwaiti desert, killing eight British marines and four American service personnel.

(Xinhua News Agency March 26, 2003)

Print This Page
|
Email This Page
About Us SiteMap Feedback
Copyright © China Internet Information Center. All Rights Reserved
E-mail: webmaster@china.org.cn Tel: 86-10-68326688