U.S. Raid in Iraq Kills 11; UK Hostage Said Beheaded
Fri Oct 8, 2004 10:23 AM ET
By Fadel al-Badrani
FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - A U.S. air strike aimed at foreign militants led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed 11 people in the Iraqi city of Falluja Friday and insurgents later said a British hostage held by Zarqawi's group had been beheaded.
The U.S. military said a "precision strike" hit a house where Zarqawi associates were meeting in the northwest of the guerrilla-held city at 1:15 a.m.
Residents and local doctors said 17 people were also wounded in the attack, among them nine women and children. They said a wedding party had been held in the house Thursday night. The bridegroom was killed and the bride was wounded in the raid.
Reuters television footage showed four women lying bloodied and bandaged at the local hospital.
"We were celebrating my cousin's wedding and my relatives gathered in this house for the wedding," said one of them, Suad Mohammed, 26. "The wedding ended at 10 p.m., but some people gathered outside the house and the bombing began.
"I lost consciousness and this morning I knew I was in hospital," said Mohammed, wounded in the legs and chest.
Insurgent sources in Falluja later said militants had beheaded British engineer Ken Bigley, three weeks after he was kidnapped with two Americans who suffered the same fate.
A video seen by Reuters showed the militants beheading Bigley, who made a statement as six militants stood behind him before one cut his head off with a knife.
The insurgent sources said the 62-year-old was killed on Thursday afternoon in the Sunni Muslim town of Latifiya, southwest of Baghdad.
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
