Foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said the 23-member group was made up of diplomats and journalists.

The Itar-Tass news agency quoted Qatar Al Jazeera TV channel assaying that among the wounded were Russian Ambassador to Iraq Vladimir Titorenko, a councilor of the diplomatic mission and a driver.

However, Yakovenko, speaking on Russia's Rossiya television, said no information was available to prove Al Jazeera's report that the ambassador was among the wounded.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was immediately informed of the incident and emergency measures had been taken to help the wounded and evacuate the group of diplomats from Iraq without any hindrance, the ministry said.

An unidentified witness traveling with the convoy told Interfax that the convoy had been attacked twice outside Baghdad.

It was not immediately clear whether the convoy was attacked by Iraqi troops or US-led coalition forces.

Summoning the US and Iraqi ambassadors immediately, the Russian Foreign Ministry demanded that the Iraqi and American sides take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Russian citizens in Iraq and punish those who are responsible for the attack after an investigation.

US Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow promised to do as much as they can to help Russian diplomats safely reach Syria, adding that the US side had been aware of the planned evacuation ahead of time.

There has been no comment yet from Abbas Khalaf, the Iraqi ambassador to Russia, who was also summoned to Russian Foreign Ministry.

Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Said al-Sahhaf said in Baghdad that Iraqi authorities were "collecting information" about the attack.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Russia said US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice arrived in Moscow on Sunday.

Interfax quoted a Russian source as saying that during Rice's meetings with Russian officials in Moscow, the attack on Russian diplomats in Baghdad might be discussed.

Rice is due to meet on Monday with Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Rushailo, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, with a focus on Iraq and other international issues. Russian-US relations would also be discussed at these talks, the source said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 6, 2003)