US gunship fires on crowd in Baghdad

‘‘We’ve seen a tremendous increase in the number of attacks,’’ Brigadier General Erv Lessel, a US military spokesman, said.

In rebel-occupied Ramadi, US tanks and helicopters opened fired in a residential district, killing 10 Iraqis, including women and children, a doctor said. The US military had no immediate comment. Heavy fighting erupted in Haifa Street, a rebel stronghold in Baghdad.

Witnesses said a US helicopter fired at a group of Iraqis crowded round a burning Bradley. Images showed Iraqis running for cover shortly before a blast killed Al Arabiya producer Mazen Tomeizi. The Palestinian, who was working for the Dubai-based TV channel, died soon afterwards. Reuters cameraman Seif Fouad was also injured in the explosion.

The US military said two of its helicopters opened fire after being attacked by the crowd. Television footage showed no evidence of shooting from the ground.

Sunday’s violence began at dawn when insurgents fired at the heavily fortified Green Zone. Some rounds landed inside the compound, which also houses Iraq’s interim government but there were no reports of casualties.

A suspected suicide bomber tried to drive through the gates of Abu Ghraib prison but US troops shot him, the military said. Three people were wounded.

An Internet statement by the group headed by Jordanian Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the violence. Another statement from the Islamic Jihad Organisation threatened that two kidnapped Italian aid workers would be killed unless Italian troops withdrew. —(Reuters)