Posted on 05/11/2005 6:40:58 AM PDT by Quilla
Baghdad, 11 May (AKI) - The Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is "serious injured, possibly dead" according to Colonel Fouad Hani Hassan, commander of the fifth division of the Iraqi armed forces, cited by 'Elaph', one of the most popular websites in the Arab world. Al-Zarqawi, considered al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, is believed to have been injured in the major offensive US-led forces have been carrying out in the western Anbar province over the last few days.
Operation Matador is centred around the town of Qaim, just a few kilometres from the Syrian border, and is aimed at destroying the strongholds of foreign fighters coming over the border into Iraq to join the insurgency. It's the fourth day of violent fighting around the town, which has been surrounded by troops since Saturday night. Bombing is said to be heavy in the town, where there has been house-to-house fighting between troops and insurgents.
The satellite TV channel Al-Arabiya reported on Wednesday that two US military helicopters were brought down during clashes in villages near Qaim, where military aircraft had been carrying out bombing raids to root out Islamic militants from their hideouts.
On Tuesday, Raja Nawaf, the newly-appointed governor of the Anbar province was kidnapped near Qaim and his family was told he would only be released if US troops pulled out of the town. A US military spokesman responded to the news by reiterating that they do not give into terrorist demands.
While Operation Matador is not specifically aimed at catching al-Zarqawi, Brig. Gen. James Conway told a Pentagon news briefing on Tuesday that "it would be a welcome event to come across him or his body."
This is the biggest US military operation since the offensive on the rebel-held town of Fallujah in November last year. More than 1,000 troops are involved and at least 15 US soldiers are said to have died in the fighting so far. The US military claims some 100 militants have been killed, but inside sources have admitted however, that they have encountered strong resistance in the town, with the insurgents demonstrating a high level of training.
We can always hope.
Q General, what do you make of the fact that they don't seem to be running into your blocking force, but they're standing and fighting?
GEN. CONWAY: It's an interesting development. I -- and I think time will tell what happens here, whether or not they will attempt now to flee the battlefield if they sense that they are surrounded and can be sacrificed. If they are intending on being martyred, that has to be cranked into the equation with this particular enemy.
So those, I think, are future events that we will see unfold.
Q Is that unusual, that this would happen, that they wouldn't just melt away?
GEN. CONWAY: No, not if you witnessed what happened in Fallujah. There, as many as 3,000 decided to stay. About half that number were killed and about half were captured. So it's not entirely unusual.
(Bold emphasis mine.)
"Just remember, we killed Saddam at least 3 times before we finally captured him."
ROTFLMAO!!!!!Good point!
Like most other posters here I will wait to see if this is true or not.
It would be great if he was captured so the Iraqis could put the wires to his balls, get all the info they can out of him, then execute him. Televised.
so what else is new about the liberal biased media machine
Pay-per-view and let the proceeds go to the widows and orphans of our military personnel serving in Iraq.
There's sadness at CBS.
I sure hope so, too. Keep me updated, Meek, thanks.
"Good to see them giving out punchy, easily remembered names for their operations"
I agree!! How about the following for upcoming operations:
"Operation MOAB"
"Operation B52"
"Operation Obliterate"
Why a partial quote? Who removed the full quote -- the full context? Why is the translation of the partial quote grammatically incorrect? Who translated this quote? Is there any English translation of the ELAPH website?
I have it on solid authority that this is absolutely true!!!
He's definitely serious.
It's the "injured, possibly dead" part we're not sure about.
Like, he was 100% vested on his 401k the next day, or what?!
Then comes the night that the door to his hovel is kicked open, a flashlight shines in his bloodshot eyes, and a stern voice commands "Down on the floor or you're a dead man!" He reaches for the AK under his cot. But whether he's just too exhausted or subconsciously he's just given up, he moves a little too slow. A flash, a searing pain, and the smell of rotting Arab brains all over a filthy stone wall ...
Duh. Yeah, ok, General...you want us tosurround the enemy, not get surround sound.Ok.
God bless our troops. What courage every day.
Thanks for the ping.
I like
Operation Agonizing Death
Operation Pork Buffet
Operation No 72 Virgins For You
Heh... Even if not true, the bigger the body count in those terrorist bases, the better I like it.
But I for one don't want to see Zarqawi's dead body.
I only want to see his head on a pole, or the spike over the town gate.
With a buzzard pecking out the eyes.
And maybe footage of the rest of the carcass being gobbled by wild dogs, or hamsters, or whatever they have over there that eats carrion.
I don't know for sure, I haven't put my finger on the exact reason why they did it yet.
But the Italian NewS Agency were right ALL MONTH on JOhn Paul II.. They were the first to break the news about every single medical problem that he had, while the Vatican would deny it, and end up confirming it a day or two later.
I suspect it has something to do with preparing the people outside for this death and preparing security or something.. I'm not exactly sure.
Nah, I think they must mean Marwhan(sp?) from "24".
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