MOSCOW: US troops “intentionally” rammed a car transporting Russian diplomatic personnel in Baghdad, a Russian foreign ministry official told ITAR-TASS news agency on Wednesday.

The incident took place as a column of US armoured personnel carriers (APCs) was passing a column of three armoured cars carrying Russian diplomats and their bodyguards, the official was quoted as saying.

“Suddenly the lead APC sharply manoeuvred and, passing our second and third cars in the far left lane, caught up with the lead car and intentionally struck it, trying to push it off the road,” he said.

The US vehicles drove off without stopping, with some of the US soldiers pointing their guns at the Russians, said the official, adding that several Russian personnel received “injuries of various degrees” from the collision.

The official did not specify when the incident occurred but said the Russians had been driving from the Green Zone, a heavy fortified area home to foreign embassies as well as the Iraqi parliament, to the Baghdad airport.

Moscow has asked Washington to investigate the incident and reserves the right to press for compensation, the official said.—AFP