46 Iraqi fighters died..or was it really 8?!

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAI9W6GOND.html

"...Many residents said the Americans opened fire at random when they came
under attack, and targeted civilian installations. Six destroyed vehicles
sat in front of the hospital, where witnesses said U.S. tanks shelled people
dropping off the injured. A kindergarten was damaged, apparently by tank
shells. No children were hurt.

"Luckily we evacuated the children five minutes before we came under
attack," said Ibrahim Jassim, a 40-year-old guard at the kindergarten. "Why
did they attack randomly? Why did they shoot a kindergarten with tank
shells?"

Lt. Col. William MacDonald of the 4th Infantry Division said that after
barricading a road, attackers opened fire from rooftops and alleyways with
bombs, small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.

U.S. troops responded with 120mm tank rounds and 25mm cannon fire from
Bradley fighting vehicles, he said.

"It sounds like the attack had some coordination to it, but the soldiers
responded, used their firepower, used tank and Bradley fire and other
weapons available to them, to stop this attack and take the fight to the
enemy," he said.

MacDonald said the attack was the largest faced by his Task Force Ironhorse,
whose mission includes the hunt for Saddam. Military officials in Baghdad
said they haven't reported a deadlier attack since May 1, when President
Bush declared major combat over. U.S. officials have only sporadically
released figures on Iraqi casualties, and wouldn't say whether there has
been a deadlier firefight that went unreported.

The U.S. military initially said 46 Iraqi fighters died and five American
soldiers were injured. But a statement on Monday raised the Iraqi dead to
54.

Residents of Samarra disputed those figures, saying at most eight or nine
people died. Three bodies lay in the hospital morgue. There was no way to
reconcile the accounts.

"Civilians shot back at the Americans," said 30-year-old Ali Hassan, who was
wounded by shrapnel in the battle. "They claim we are terrorists. So OK, we
are terrorists. What do they expect when they drive among us?"

Many residents said the Americans opened fire at random when they came under
attack, and targeted civilian installations. Six destroyed vehicles sat in
front of the hospital, where witnesses said U.S. tanks shelled people
dropping off the injured. A kindergarten was damaged, apparently by tank
shells. No children were hurt.

"Luckily we evacuated the children five minutes before we came under
attack," said Ibrahim Jassim, a 40-year-old guard at the kindergarten. "Why
did they attack randomly? Why did they shoot a kindergarten with tank
shells?"

Lt. Col. William MacDonald of the 4th Infantry Division said that after
barricading a road, attackers opened fire from rooftops and alleyways with
bombs, small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.

U.S. troops responded with 120mm tank rounds and 25mm cannon fire from
Bradley fighting vehicles, he said.

"It sounds like the attack had some coordination to it, but the soldiers
responded, used their firepower, used tank and Bradley fire and other
weapons available to them, to stop this attack and take the fight to the
enemy," he said.

MacDonald said the attack was the largest faced by his Task Force Ironhorse,
whose mission includes the hunt for Saddam. Military officials in Baghdad
said they haven't reported a deadlier attack since May 1, when President
Bush declared major combat over. U.S. officials have only sporadically
released figures on Iraqi casualties, and wouldn't say whether there has
been a deadlier firefight that went unreported.

The U.S. military initially said 46 Iraqi fighters died and five American
soldiers were injured. But a statement on Monday raised the Iraqi dead to
54.

Residents of Samarra disputed those figures, saying at most eight or nine
people died. Three bodies lay in the hospital morgue. There was no way to
reconcile the accounts...." AP