Four U.S. Soldiers Reportedly Killed In Baghdad

A gunbattle then raged between Iraqi fighters and U.S. troops, who opened their fire randomly at a crowd of passers-by, leaving a number of Iraqi civilians injured.

Four U.S. combat helicopters were seen flying at low altitude, scouring for the attackers, while U.S. troops arrested a number of Iraqi civilians.

Shortly afterwards, several additional military vehicles rumbled down the street, including Bradley fighting vehicles and hard-back Humvees to provide support to the 10-vehicle force already engaged in the firefight.

"The attack came as no surprise for the Iraqis, since U.S. troops are used to shopping in broad daylight from al-Warda mall (one of Baghdad’s largest malls)," Hadi al-Kubaissi, an Iraqi citizen who witnessed the attack, told IOL.

He added that around 30 U.S. soldiers were going on a daily basis to the mall, parking their vehicles and Humvees alongside the road, noting that he heard at 2:30 (10:30 GMT) shuddering explosions, which sent the street into chaos and panic.

Abbas al-Ebeidi, a leather maker, said the Iraqis do not care about the damages and losses of the U.S. troops, but they do feel for the innocent Iraqi civilians who are caught in crossfire.

Iraqi locals have blamed those who sell U.S. troops food stuffs and beverages, brushing aside Mosques calls for not dealing with the U.S. occupation troops.

On Wednesday night, August 6, two U.S. soldiers were killed and one wounded in a firefight in Baghdad’s Al-Rashid district.

"Two 1st Armored Division soldiers were killed and one wounded in a small arms firefight … at approximately 11:00 pm (1900 GMT)," a Central Command statement said.

An interpreter was also hurt in the incident.

A total of 55 U.S. troops have been killed in resistance attacks since U.S. President George W. Bush declared major combat over in Iraq on May 1, according to the U.S. military.