CNN-BREAKING NEWS- New air assault in Iraq
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CNN-BREAKING NEWS- New air assault in Iraq
U.S. military launches what it terms the largest air assault in Iraq since 2003 invasion, targeting insurgents north of Baghdad.
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The U.S. military said on Thursday it had launched its biggest air offensive in Iraq since the 2003 invasion of the country.
A military statement said the operation involving more than 50 aircraft and 1,500 Iraqi and U.S. troops as well as 200 tactical vehicles targeted suspected insurgents operating in Salahuddin, a province that includes Samarra, a town located 60 miles north of Baghdad.
“Initial reports from the objective area indicate that a number of enemy weapons caches have been captured, containing artillery shells, explosives, IED-making materials, and military uniforms,” the military said in a statement. IEDs are improvised explosive devices.
The mliitary said the operation began Thursday morning and was likely to continue for several days.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11857580/
A military statement said the operation involving more than 50 aircraft and 1,500 Iraqi and U.S. troops as well as 200 tactical vehicles targeted suspected insurgents operating in Salahuddin, a province that includes Samarra, a town located 60 miles north of Baghdad.
“Initial reports from the objective area indicate that a number of enemy weapons caches have been captured, containing artillery shells, explosives, IED-making materials, and military uniforms,” the military said in a statement. IEDs are improvised explosive devices.
The mliitary said the operation began Thursday morning and was likely to continue for several days.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11857580/
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U.S. launches largest Iraqi air assault since 2003 invasion
Offensive targets insurgent area north of capital
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- American and Iraqi forces on Thursday launched the largest air assault operation since the invasion of Iraq nearly three years ago, the U.S. military said.
More than 50 aircraft and 200 tactical ground vehicles are involved in Operation Swarmer, supporting more than 1,500 Iraqi and U.S. troops near Salaheddin province, a restive region north of the capital regarded as a hotbed for insurgents.
Commandos raided several structures in the area, a news release said.
The offensive is focusing on three villages where fighters are believed to be based, Iraqi security sources said.
The insurgents are suspected in lootings and killings, including the deaths of the three Al-Arabiya journalists in Samarra.
The reporters were killed while covering the aftermath of the February 22 bombing of a revered Shiite shrine in Samarra that escalated sectarian tensions and pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.
Samarra, about 75 miles (121 kilometers) north of Baghdad, is predominantly Sunni but has mixed Sunni-Shiite areas.
Iraq Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the operation "has been anticipated for some time."
"It is very close to Baghdad ... and really it has been the transit for many of these terrorist insurgents to send car bombs or to attack convoys in that part of the country," Zebari said.
"The insurgents and the terrorists have been assembling themselves there trying to create another Falluja," he said, referring to an insurgent command center in that western Iraqi city that was scene of a bloody offensive in November 2004.
The operation is expected to last several days, while the military searches for insurgents and weapons stockpiles.
Zebari said the Samarra push shows the "rising capabilities" of Iraqi forces.
"This is a good exercise and indicates that this strategy is working to build Iraqi troops to be sufficient," he said.
Bodies found in Baghdad
The death toll from apparent reprisal killings rose in Baghdad as Iraqi emergency police said they had found 31 bodies across the capital -- 25 on Wednesday and another six Thursday.
Since a string of car bombings in a poor Shiite neighborhood killed at least 46 people Sunday, police have reported finding the results of grisly execution-style slayings daily.
The latest discoveries came during a vehicle curfew in the capital.
More than 160 bodies have been recovered since Sunday, many found shot to death and some of which have shown signs of torture.
In northern Iraq, one person was killed and three injured in demonstrations marking the 18th anniversary of the gassing to death of thousands of Kurds in Halabja, police and hospital officials said.
Diyala province, north of Baghdad, continued to be a hotbed of violence.
In Khalis, a roadside bomb killed three girls and wounded five boys Thursday as students were leaving school, an official with Diyala's Joint Coordination Center said.
A roadside bomb in Muqtadya exploded near an Iraqi police patrol, wounding seven officers and one civilian, the official said.
In the provincial capital of Baquba, a gunmen killed one civilian and wounded another.
Parliament meets briefly
Iraq's newly elected parliament met for the first time Thursday and adjourned after 30 minutes.
The lawmakers were sworn in amid tight security, but they did little else. (Full story)
The meeting begins the 60-day countdown during which time a president, two vice presidents and a prime minister will be selected.
The process likely will be difficult. The nominee for prime minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, is controversial with many Sunni, Kurdish and secular Shiite lawmakers and their constituents. Al-Jaafari has been the transitional prime minister.
Other developments
An Iranian official said Thursday that his country is willing to hold talks with the United States -- which has accused Iran of trying to influence violence in Iraq -- the Islamic Republic News Agency reported. Iran has denied accusations of sending fighters into Iraq and of providing materials for bombs. Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic ties. (Full story)
The death of a 24-year-old male detainee at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison Wednesday is under investigation. The prisoner died of apparent natural causes, a U.S. military statement said. The prisoner was found unconscious and CPR efforts failed, the military said.
A U.S.-led raid on a suspected terror site Wednesday killed 11 civilians, including five children, according to Iraqi police. The U.S. military claimed the death toll from the strike north of Balad was four. (Full story)
The U.S. Congress unveiled Wednesday an independent panel to study the war in Iraq and to make policy recommendations to Capitol Hill and the White House. (Full story)
CNN's Arwa Damon, Nic Robertson and Barbara Starr and journalist Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report.
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/ ... index.html
this is to expand on luis's post ...
Offensive targets insurgent area north of capital
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- American and Iraqi forces on Thursday launched the largest air assault operation since the invasion of Iraq nearly three years ago, the U.S. military said.
More than 50 aircraft and 200 tactical ground vehicles are involved in Operation Swarmer, supporting more than 1,500 Iraqi and U.S. troops near Salaheddin province, a restive region north of the capital regarded as a hotbed for insurgents.
Commandos raided several structures in the area, a news release said.
The offensive is focusing on three villages where fighters are believed to be based, Iraqi security sources said.
The insurgents are suspected in lootings and killings, including the deaths of the three Al-Arabiya journalists in Samarra.
The reporters were killed while covering the aftermath of the February 22 bombing of a revered Shiite shrine in Samarra that escalated sectarian tensions and pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.
Samarra, about 75 miles (121 kilometers) north of Baghdad, is predominantly Sunni but has mixed Sunni-Shiite areas.
Iraq Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the operation "has been anticipated for some time."
"It is very close to Baghdad ... and really it has been the transit for many of these terrorist insurgents to send car bombs or to attack convoys in that part of the country," Zebari said.
"The insurgents and the terrorists have been assembling themselves there trying to create another Falluja," he said, referring to an insurgent command center in that western Iraqi city that was scene of a bloody offensive in November 2004.
The operation is expected to last several days, while the military searches for insurgents and weapons stockpiles.
Zebari said the Samarra push shows the "rising capabilities" of Iraqi forces.
"This is a good exercise and indicates that this strategy is working to build Iraqi troops to be sufficient," he said.
Bodies found in Baghdad
The death toll from apparent reprisal killings rose in Baghdad as Iraqi emergency police said they had found 31 bodies across the capital -- 25 on Wednesday and another six Thursday.
Since a string of car bombings in a poor Shiite neighborhood killed at least 46 people Sunday, police have reported finding the results of grisly execution-style slayings daily.
The latest discoveries came during a vehicle curfew in the capital.
More than 160 bodies have been recovered since Sunday, many found shot to death and some of which have shown signs of torture.
In northern Iraq, one person was killed and three injured in demonstrations marking the 18th anniversary of the gassing to death of thousands of Kurds in Halabja, police and hospital officials said.
Diyala province, north of Baghdad, continued to be a hotbed of violence.
In Khalis, a roadside bomb killed three girls and wounded five boys Thursday as students were leaving school, an official with Diyala's Joint Coordination Center said.
A roadside bomb in Muqtadya exploded near an Iraqi police patrol, wounding seven officers and one civilian, the official said.
In the provincial capital of Baquba, a gunmen killed one civilian and wounded another.
Parliament meets briefly
Iraq's newly elected parliament met for the first time Thursday and adjourned after 30 minutes.
The lawmakers were sworn in amid tight security, but they did little else. (Full story)
The meeting begins the 60-day countdown during which time a president, two vice presidents and a prime minister will be selected.
The process likely will be difficult. The nominee for prime minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, is controversial with many Sunni, Kurdish and secular Shiite lawmakers and their constituents. Al-Jaafari has been the transitional prime minister.
Other developments
An Iranian official said Thursday that his country is willing to hold talks with the United States -- which has accused Iran of trying to influence violence in Iraq -- the Islamic Republic News Agency reported. Iran has denied accusations of sending fighters into Iraq and of providing materials for bombs. Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic ties. (Full story)
The death of a 24-year-old male detainee at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison Wednesday is under investigation. The prisoner died of apparent natural causes, a U.S. military statement said. The prisoner was found unconscious and CPR efforts failed, the military said.
A U.S.-led raid on a suspected terror site Wednesday killed 11 civilians, including five children, according to Iraqi police. The U.S. military claimed the death toll from the strike north of Balad was four. (Full story)
The U.S. Congress unveiled Wednesday an independent panel to study the war in Iraq and to make policy recommendations to Capitol Hill and the White House. (Full story)
CNN's Arwa Damon, Nic Robertson and Barbara Starr and journalist Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report.
Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/ ... index.html
this is to expand on luis's post ...
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