Updated: 05:46 AM EST
U.S. Troops, Planes Battle Guerrillas in Baghdad
By Nadim Ladki, Reuters
BAGHDAD (Dec. 24) - U.S. aircraft and artillery blasted suspected guerrilla
hideouts in Baghdad Wednesday in an operation launched to flush insurgents from
the capital.
Dozens of explosions and heavy machine-gun fire echoed across the city of five
million overnight as aircraft buzzed overhead in one of Baghdad's heaviest
bombardments since the end of the U.S.-led war that toppled President Saddam
Hussein.
Captain Jason Beck, spokesman for the First Armored Division that controls
Baghdad, said Operation Iron Grip was aimed at guerrillas who might use the
holiday season to step up attacks on coalition forces.
"The purpose of the operation is to attack, kill or capture individuals
(launching attacks) against coalition activities," Beck told Reuters. "Enemies
will use the holidays to attack for psychological reasons."
"This is obviously a special time of the year for all soldiers, so we must
remain vigilant."
A U.S. spokeswoman earlier called the mission Operation Iron Justice.
More than 200 U.S. soldiers have been killed since Washington declared major
combat over on May 1 in attacks officials have blamed on Saddam loyalists and
foreign fighters.
U.S. soldiers have arrested hundreds of suspected loyalists and Islamists in
raids across the Sunni Muslim heartland west and north of Baghdad since Saddam
was captured on December 13 in his hometown of Tikrit.
The Sunni minority dominated Iraq under Saddam's rule.
Beck said the U.S. attacks focused on areas of Baghdad where "the enemy has
launched attacks on coalition forces before."
He said the targets were "based primarily on intelligence from various sources,
one of these sources is the individuals captured as a result of Saddam Hussein
being captured."
Residents said fields used by insurgents to attack U.S. patrols in southern
Baghdad were bombed by artillery and strafed by aircraft
The guns fell silent before dawn and life returned to normal in the city after
sunrise.
Beck said it was too early for "battle damage assessments" but vowed to
continue the operation.
"Operation Iron Grip will remain until the enemy is destroyed or surrenders,"
he said.
Gunmen attacked an Iraqi police patrol in the northern city of Mosul Tuesday
night, killing one policeman and wounding three, military sources said. U.S.
forces rushed to their aid but were fired on by rocket-propelled grenades.
Among those arrested by U.S. troops this week were three suspected Islamist
militants who were captured in the town of Baquba. American officers said they
hoped the arrests of the Muslim militants would help lead them to Izzat Ibrahim
al-Douri, one of Saddam's top aides and the most wanted former Iraqi official
still sought by U.S. authorities.
Al-Douri, who has a $10 million reward on his head, is number six on a list of
55 Iraqis most wanted by the United States and is suspected of playing a role
in directing insurgents.
The arrests raise important questions on ties between Saddam loyalists and
Islamic militants suspected of crossing Iraq's borders to wage holy war on
occupation troops.
The detentions over the past 24 hours were significant because they point to a
link between Saddam loyalists and Muslim militants.
A judge was gunned down in the mainly Kurdish north on Monday night. There has
been a wave of attacks in recent weeks on officials working under Iraq's
U.S.-led administration, including policemen, oil executives and other judges.
As U.S. troops prepared for Christmas away from home, a senior official in the
U.S.-led administration ruling Iraq, the Coalition Provisional Authority,
warned guerrillas might strike during the holiday period.
"It is wise to expect it could be a rough period. Psychologically they want to
prove they have the capability. We are not taking any chances," the official,
who requested anonymity, told reporters.
12/24/03 01:18 ET
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