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Fury sweeps Syria after US raid | Fury sweeps Syria after US raid |
(about 10 hours later) | |
Demonstrations against America and President Bush followed the deadly raid By Paul Wood BBC News, Sukkiraya | |
Souad Khousaim lay very still on her hospital bed and in a quiet voice wracked with pain told me she was one of the innocent victims of Sunday's raid by US special forces. | Souad Khousaim lay very still on her hospital bed and in a quiet voice wracked with pain told me she was one of the innocent victims of Sunday's raid by US special forces. |
"I went outside to get my son and the Americans shot me," she says. "They were very close, five metres away. I was screaming, terrified." | "I went outside to get my son and the Americans shot me," she says. "They were very close, five metres away. I was screaming, terrified." |
Her husband was among the seven Syrian men who died, but hospital officials have not told her this yet. | Her husband was among the seven Syrian men who died, but hospital officials have not told her this yet. |
The US military sent troops 8km (five miles) into Syria, to the village of Sukkiraya, to take action which they hope will help shut down al-Qaeda's secret pipeline into Iraq for men, weapons and money. | The US military sent troops 8km (five miles) into Syria, to the village of Sukkiraya, to take action which they hope will help shut down al-Qaeda's secret pipeline into Iraq for men, weapons and money. |
The mission was to capture or kill, Abu Ghadiya, an Iraqi-born al-Qaeda cell leader the US says has helped to bring thousands of jihadist fighters across the border. | The mission was to capture or kill, Abu Ghadiya, an Iraqi-born al-Qaeda cell leader the US says has helped to bring thousands of jihadist fighters across the border. |
'Over in minutes' | 'Over in minutes' |
We went to the place where the raid is said to have happened - a breeze-block compound on the banks of the Euphrates, which flows gently from Syria into Iraq. | We went to the place where the raid is said to have happened - a breeze-block compound on the banks of the Euphrates, which flows gently from Syria into Iraq. |
Profile: Abu Ghadiya In pictures: Grief and anger in SyriaSyria fears damage to Europe ties | Profile: Abu Ghadiya In pictures: Grief and anger in SyriaSyria fears damage to Europe ties |
The compound's wall was peppered with bullet holes. A villager told me that two helicopters had hovered overhead, firing at the compound. Another two landed, allowing soldiers to dismount. | The compound's wall was peppered with bullet holes. A villager told me that two helicopters had hovered overhead, firing at the compound. Another two landed, allowing soldiers to dismount. |
The Americans searched the place, then left, the villager said. It was all over in minutes. A few bullet casings remained behind in the compound, along with scattered shoes belonging to the dead men. | The Americans searched the place, then left, the villager said. It was all over in minutes. A few bullet casings remained behind in the compound, along with scattered shoes belonging to the dead men. |
Local people were adamant that the men killed were all civilians: builders who had just laid the foundations for a new house, along with a night watchman (the husband of the woman I had met in hospital). | Local people were adamant that the men killed were all civilians: builders who had just laid the foundations for a new house, along with a night watchman (the husband of the woman I had met in hospital). |
Of the man who was the target of this operation, Abu Ghadiya, there was no mention. | Of the man who was the target of this operation, Abu Ghadiya, there was no mention. |
While secret policemen and government officials hovered nearby, everyone gave the same version of events: Al-Qaeda was never here; there was no gun battle; this was an American war crime. | While secret policemen and government officials hovered nearby, everyone gave the same version of events: Al-Qaeda was never here; there was no gun battle; this was an American war crime. |
Flag burning | Flag burning |
Five of those killed were from the same family, a man and four adult sons. His widow met me surrounded by 20 or so grandchildren, who were all now fatherless. | Five of those killed were from the same family, a man and four adult sons. His widow met me surrounded by 20 or so grandchildren, who were all now fatherless. |
Souad Khousaim said she was wounded by US soldiers | |
An elderly male relative angrily denies that the dead men had anything to do with al-Qaeda. | An elderly male relative angrily denies that the dead men had anything to do with al-Qaeda. |
"The world must see what the Americans have done here," he shouted, close to tears, while men from the village nodded in agreement. | "The world must see what the Americans have done here," he shouted, close to tears, while men from the village nodded in agreement. |
In the nearby town of Albu-Kamel, an anti-American protest was going on. Several thousand people had gathered, waving pictures of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and burning US flags. | In the nearby town of Albu-Kamel, an anti-American protest was going on. Several thousand people had gathered, waving pictures of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and burning US flags. |
This was government organised - but the angry mood we saw there seems to have seized the whole nation. | This was government organised - but the angry mood we saw there seems to have seized the whole nation. |
Syrians are outraged about what they say is the violation of their sovereignty and their territory. | Syrians are outraged about what they say is the violation of their sovereignty and their territory. |
The Americans say they have the right of self-defence - even if that means crossing an international border. | The Americans say they have the right of self-defence - even if that means crossing an international border. |
A new US presidential order has reportedly been made to this effect. It means the Americans will be prepared to take such action again in future, in Syria and elsewhere. | A new US presidential order has reportedly been made to this effect. It means the Americans will be prepared to take such action again in future, in Syria and elsewhere. |
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