Posted on 03/23/2005 11:54:15 AM PST by stainlessbanner
TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi commandos backed by U.S. troops killed 84 militants in a battle to seize a training camp north of Baghdad, one of the highest guerrilla death tolls in the country's nearly two-year-old insurgency.
Baghdad's Interior Ministry said the dead included Arab and foreign fighters. Seven police commandos were also killed in the clashes on Tuesday in a deserted region 160 km (100 miles) northwest of Baghdad, where sporadic fighting continued.
"Special forces in the Interior Ministry attacked a training center ... and had a fierce battle with the terrorists, killing 84 of them," Sabah Kadhim, a spokesman at the Interior Ministry told Reuters.
"Among the dead are Arab and foreign fighters, including Sudanese, Algerians and Moroccans, as well as other nationalities."
Officials said U.S. helicopters and troops were called in as back-up during the battle, which lasted several hours.
The fighting came as politicians in Baghdad pushed on with talks to decide the make-up of a government more than seven weeks after the election, amid growing frustration among Iraqis.
Many say they risked their lives to vote, defying insurgents waging a campaign of violence. On Wednesday, two policemen were killed, defusing a roadside bomb in Baghdad, while a family of four was killed in their car by a similar device, police said.
FIERCE BATTLE
The U.S. military confirmed a battle had taken place and that U.S. forces were involved, but a spokesman said he had no details on the number of insurgents killed or captured. No U.S. troops were wounded or killed in the fighting, he said.
"An early assessment of the site indicates a facility for training anti-Iraqi forces," said Major Richard Goldenberg of the U.S. 42nd Infantry Division, using the U.S. military's term for insurgents.
"Documentation at the facility indicates that some members of the AIF were foreign fighters."
Six police commandos were wounded, Goldenberg said.
Notices distributed by a group called the Islamic Army of Tikrit, a local insurgent operation, said 11 militants had been killed, while "many more" police commandos were killed.
In Mosul, a suicide car bomber blew himself up near a U.S. military patrol, but there were no reports of any injuries, apart from the bomber. On Tuesday, Iraqi forces detained 70 suspected insurgents in Mosul, the U.S. military said.
In Baghdad, Kurdish and Shi'ite leaders were discussing the distribution of cabinet seats, with some party officials saying a decision could be made as soon as Wednesday.
The National Assembly, the parliament elected in the Jan. 30 ballot, was due to meet for a second time later this week, probably by Saturday, and was expected to name a speaker, a president and two vice presidents.
Deliberations over the government's make-up have been drawn out by differences between Shi'ites and Kurds -- the two major winners in the election and who need each other's support to form a government -- over Islam and federalism.
Most differences appear to have been worked out, after more than six weeks of negotiations and in the face of grumbling among Iraqis fearful that the country's first elected post- Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) government could be sunk by infighting.
Just because.....
Good News!
Excellent news!
Iraqis are cleaning house!
I like it!
Semper Fi,
Kelly
This seems like an important first test of Iraqi security capability, and should send a strong message to the terrorists: there is "no vacancy" now in Iraq for terrorists.
all your base are belong to us
This is great - the raid was carried out by Iraqis, the US trained Iraqis inflicted combat deaths at a respectable 12-1 ratio, the aftermath proves that these scum aren't locals but foreign agitators . . . sweet.
I liek how it was termed "US backed the Iraqi forces"
Its showing that the Iraqis are having control (not just active, but controlling) roll in this.
The main stream Media will report this as "11 Iraqi Police killed" , nothing about the terrorist's deaths. (if they report it at all.)
Even more interesting is the fact the battle took place. Which means the terrorists were not informed in advance by traitors in the ranks of the Iraqi forces.
Ahem...it's "Kulu qa'idatikum namlikuha." (The Iraqis did it, so it's in Arabic.)
Somebody set us up the bomb!
84 times 72 virgins = 6,084 virgins. Man at this rate, there are not going to be any more virgins left!
As time goes on, this will be more common. The Iraqis are finally learning that it is THEIR country and all the terrorist attacks are aimed at them.
It's all a question of motivation and they are finally getting motivated.
"Among the dead are Arab and foreign fighters, including Sudanese, Algerians and Moroccans, as well as other nationalities."
Sounds like a veritable United Nations of terrorist scumbags. Nice job, Iraqi Commandos!
You're not kidding as I was eating my lunch I was watching some local news channel and on the ticker at the bottom it said 11 Iraqi security troops killed. NOTHING about the 82 pondscum little sheet heads that were killed in the same battle!
A studier of Arabic?
I am intrigued. If you have more, share please :)
I know traces of Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, German, Scots-Gaelic, and Latin (and therefor some latin-based languages) I'd like to have a functioning vocab in each. Even if it is to simply find the bathroom and thank people.
Salom.
The "insurgents" are in a quagmire!
Or (what I'm hoping for) is this 84 more?
No, just a Googler of it. (c8
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