New weapon a worry for US troops in Iraq: report

New weapon a worry for US troops in Iraq: report
2 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The widening use of rocket-propelled bombs in Iraq is posing a deadly new challenge to occupying US troops, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The bombs, dubbed improvised rocket-assisted munitions (IRAMs), have left at least 21 people dead, including three US troops, this year, the Post said.

Their use by suspected Shiite militia marks a "broadening (of) the array of weapons used against US troops," the report said.

"They are propane tanks packed with hundreds of pounds of explosives and powered by 107mm rockets. They are often fired by remote control from the backs of trucks, sometimes in close succession," the Post reported.

"US military officials say IRAM attacks, unlike roadside bombings and conventional mortar or rocket attacks, have the potential to kill scores of soldiers at once.
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