British journalists killed in Iraq

Two British television journalists were killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb today.

CBS News cameraman Paul Douglas, 48, and soundman James Brolan, 42, who both lived in London, died when the Baghdad military unit with which they were embedded, was attacked, CBS said.

Correspondent Kimberly Dozier, 39, who is American, was seriously injured.

A statement on the channel's website said the journalists were reporting from outside their Humvee vehicle and were believed to have been wearing their protective gear.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We can confirm that two British journalists working as part of the CBS news crew were killed in an attack on a convoy in Baghdad this morning.

"A US army captain and an Iraqi interpreter were also killed in the incident.

"A US journalist was injured and is in a serious condition."

The spokesman said next of kin had been informed and consular staff in Baghdad were providing assistance to the families.

Correspondent Kimberly Dozier, 39, who was seriously injured in the attack, holds dual US and British citizenship, the spokesman said.

She remains in hospital this evening following surgery at a US military hospital earlier today.

The team was reporting on patrol with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, when their convoy was struck by a roadside bomb. CBS said cameraman Mr Douglas had worked for the company in numerous countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Rwanda and Bosnia, since the early 1990s.

Mr Brolan was a freelancer who had worked with CBS in Baghdad and Afghanistan over the past year.

He was part of the CBS News team that received a 2006 Overseas Press Club Award for its reporting on the Pakistan earthquake. Ms Dozier has had surgery at a US military hospital in Baghdad.

She was said to be in a critical condition, but doctors were "cautiously optimistic" about her prognosis.

A spokesman for the British Embassy in Baghdad said: "It is always a tragedy when terrorism claims the life of any innocent person in Iraq and our sympathies go to their friends and families in Iraq and elsewhere."

The deadly attack came during the worst wave of violence to hit Baghdad in days.

Eight bombings today killed at least 33 people and left dozens more wounded, according to Iraqi police.

They said the explosion that killed the journalists happened just before noon local time in Tahariyat Square, a mixed area in south-central Baghdad.

The blast collapsed the front end of their armoured Humvee.

Ms Dozier has been reporting on the war in Iraq for nearly three years, and previously served as the chief correspondent for WCBS-TV New York's Middle East bureau in Jerusalem.

The journalists' deaths come just months after ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff suffered serious head injuries and broken bones while reporting on the war.

He and cameraman Doug Vogt were hit by a shrapnel from a roadside bomb in January. Doctors said it was likely their lives were saved by their body armour.

In April David Bloom, an American journalist for NBC television, died near Baghdad, from an apparent blood clot.

CBS News and Sports President Sean McManus paid tribute to Mr Douglas and Mr Brolan as "invaluable" journalists.

"This is a devastating loss for CBS News," Mr McManus.

"Kimberly, Paul and James were veterans of war coverage who proved their bravery and dedication every single day.

"They always volunteered for dangerous assignments and were invaluable in our attempt to report the news to the American public.

"Our deepest sympathy goes out to the families of Paul and James, and we are hoping and praying for a complete recovery by Kimberly.

"Countless men and women put their lives on the line, day in and day out, in Iraq and other dangerous spots around the world, and they deserve our utmost respect and gratitude for the work they do."

Ms Dozier was London bureau chief and chief European correspondent for CBS Radio News from 1996 to 2002.

She has won three American Women in Radio and Television Gracie Awards for her radio reports on Middle East violence, Kosovo and the Afghan war.