Mechanical fault sets U.S. vehicle ablaze

MUTHANNA / IraqiNews.com: The Commander of the U.S. troops in Imam Ali air base in southern Iraq’s Muthanna Province has announced on Monday that a mechanical fault had set fire to a U.S. Humvee Army vehicle on the main highway connecting Samawa with Nassiriya cities. “A mechanical fault has caused the burning of the vehiclce that was among a U.S. Army patrol east of Samawa,” he said, denying that any assault had taken place against the patrol. He added that no human casualties occured due to the incident. Eyewitnesses had said on Sunday that a U.S. vehicle had become target for an unknown reason on the main highway between Samawa and Nassiriya, causing it to set on fire, adding that U.S. troops were seen closing the highway after the incident. Samawa, the capital of Muthanna Province, is 280 km to the south of Baghdad. SKH/SR 146