Iraqi Commandos Take Rebel Base, Kill 84 Militants

YahooNews ^ | 23-March-2005 | Sabah al-Bazee

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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.

[CyberAnt]

Me too!! I think this is going to be a great boost to the Iraqi military. This will give them great confidence in their ability to defend their own country.

And .. I have noticed some very reserved comment about it.

And .. I don't think the media is happy that the Iraqis have KILLED SO MANY OF THE TERRORISTS. I believe more of the terrorists were killed because the Iraqis don't care what the media says about them.

[river rat]

Wow!
Thanks for the link......it looks like an all night read.
I appreciate it..

Semper Fi