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Strykers in the thick of it

Oct-21-2006 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

SEAN COCKERHAM; The News Tribune

MOSUL, Iraq – The windows were blown out for a full city block. A charred, twisted chaos of wrecked vehicles covered the street.

Fort Lewis soldiers could only swear in amazement Thursday as they stepped from their Strykers and took in the devastation.

A suicide truck bomber had blown himself up in front of a Mosul police station. Fort Lewis commanders here, who lead the U.S. fight against insurgents in Mosul, said at least 10 civilians and an Iraqi policeman were killed in the attack.

It was the most destructive incident in a day of violence in Mosul. There were reports of up to six suicide bombings here Thursday. One of them targeted a Stryker.

The Fort Lewis soldiers, from the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, shot at the suicide bomber before he got too close to their vehicle. The bomb detonated pre-maturely, and no soldiers were seriously hurt.

Commanders said they expect more attacks in Mosul before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ends next week.

The scene at the bombed police station was major even by Iraq standards.

“Something this big is pretty few and far between,” said Spc. Joe Tourand, a 23-year-old who lived in Tacoma before coming to Iraq.

The explosion was so big it sent the engine block from the bomber’s truck hurtling into a second-story room at the police station. A policeman was asleep in the room at the time but somehow was unhurt. [...]


Comments For "Strykers in the thick of it":

I am not being political..far from it..I cannot vote..but when my son first went to Mosul..in 2004 I think it was..the police stations were corrupt and then were overun..tell me..as a military mum..what has changed..

Posted by: Englishmum [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 22, 2006 12:13 AM

stay the course m'am! iraqi's are killing each other at a rate of about 100 a day, there are 365 days in the year, their population is about 16 million, so we'll only need to stay in iraq for another.... 438 years....stay the course!!

Posted by: fudgems [TypeKey Profile Page] | October 22, 2006 8:47 AM

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