Aussie Paper: American troops left injured Australian private contractor for dead

Above: During a commemoration by members of the Australian Defence Forces, the catafalque party rests on arms during an Anzac Day ceremony at Camp Victory, Baghdad.

AN Australian private security operator was left for dead by US forces in southern Iraq after he was seriously wounded during an ambush.

The Americans actually refused to provide a helicopter evacuation flight after they were told the wounded man was Australian, sources told the Daily Telegraph.

The Queenslander was eventually delivered to Basra air base by a British road convoy more than seven hours after the attack, suffering severe leg and abdominal injuries.

Three of his Iraqi colleagues, including an interpreter, died during the attack on June 25.

The attack near the town of Al Zubair, about 15km southwest of Basra, was carried out by at least six gunmen and involved roadside bombs, small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

Two armoured Toyota Landcruisers were destroyed.

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