Posted on 03/26/2006 3:03:58 PM PST by 68skylark
Healing Iraq has news that a US force has clashed with Moqtada al Sadr's troops:
American forces clashed with Mahdi army militiamen at the Ur district (Hayy Ur), west of Sadr city in Baghdad. It seems an American force attempted to raid a husseiniya in the area and was resisted by militiamen inside.
Between 18 and 21 militiamen have been killed, and the Al-Mustafa Husseiniya was reported to be badly damaged in the ensuing firefight.
I was on the phone with a colleague who lived there and he described it as a battlefield. Apache helicopters and jet fighters are still circling the area.
Al-Iraqiya TV just aired some images from the husseiniya. 17 'guards' were killed. One of the corpses carried a Da'wa party (Iraq organisation) ID, and another carried an ID issued by the Islamic Conference of Iraqi Tribes.
Someone in the background was asking the cameraman to film grenades lying around the corpses, to which the cameraman responded: "I can't show our guys' grenades."
"No, these are American grenades," the man in the background explained.
"Oh, okay I'll film them."
Al-Iraqiya TV was very critical of the attack, and is describing those killed as martyrs.
The BBC confirms the clash.
At least 18 Iraqis have died in clashes between US troops and militants loyal to Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr at a Baghdad mosque, Iraqi sources report. The US military said it was investigating the reports, which came from Iraqi police, medical sources and Mr Sadr's aides. "The American forces went into Mustafa mosque at prayers and killed more than 20 worshippers," Hazim al-Araji told Reuters news agency, citing a larger death toll than the 18 counted by medical sources. AFP news agency said residents close to the scene reported hearing gunfire and ambulances, while black-clad members of Mr Sadr's Mehdi Army could be seen in the streets.
Earlier, Zeyad at Healing Iraq had reported on the Mogadishu style desecration of a Sunni clerics corpse, as Sadr's men dragged his body around like a sack of trash. Zeyad said, "Note that life looks absolutely normal in the surroundings. You can see children running about, stores open, religious holiday flags and even a traffic jam. Perhaps Ralph Peters will happen to drive by with an American army patrol and enjoy the scene of children cheering for the troops, while wondering where his civil war is, dude."
Additional information in via the International Herald Tribune reports that Iraqi forces were active in this raid. The article details other actions which Iraqi troops have been involved with, but which required American backup. The participation of Iraqi forces is good news, at least in my opinion.
The spin is already in. The BBC is reporting "The American forces went into Mustafa mosque at prayers and killed more than 20 worshippers". Healing Iraq notes that even on tape an Arabic speaking listener can hear the cameraman saying:
Someone in the background was asking the cameraman to film grenades lying around the corpses, to which the cameraman responded: "I can't show our guys' grenades."
"No, these are American grenades," the man in the background explained.
"Oh, okay I'll film them."
Al-Iraqiya TV was very critical of the attack, and is describing those killed as martyrs.
So "martyrs" it is.
If things don't fall apart in the coming days then the crisis will probably have passed. But the reaction of the Shi'a to this attack bears watching. From events in the past, I don't really expect any gratitude to be shown by either Sunni or Shi'a leaders for actions taken by the US to protect them against the depredations of militias. There might be some "gratitude" but what's more important is simply keeping people quiet and safe. Just my opinion.
The U.S. military describes it as a success for Iraqi troops: Iraqi Special Ops Forces Conduct Baghdad Raid.
Reports from the MSM paint a far different picture, as Wretchard notes -- the spin has begun.
Freepers can decide for themselves who to believe.
L
Time to make fat boy Sadr disappear (something that's almost 3 years overdue). No body for his followers to worship, just give him the Jimmy Hoffa treatment. Lots of swamps in Iraq.
Sadr caused great damage to our efforts there with his support of jaffari.
He should have been taken out years ago.
Sadr needs to be taken out and then have the Medhi punks come out into the streets.
Last time they took u.s forces on they used machine guns against tanks.
U.S forces took out thousands of sadr forces and suffered 2 causualties.
Sadr's militia needs to be taken out.
Odd!!!!??? Just checked on MNF-Iraq, and DOD.mil and there's nothing there on this story. Wonder why?
No need to worry. More Arab propaganda will be forthcoming. The media drive-by will continue.
There's a lot of confusion among the MSM and Arabs because the Iraqi Army is outfitted in our old-style desert camouflage, and in thsi operation, the Iraqis would have been backed by US troops; but they would have gone into the mosque, not our troops.
In the US it's referred to as NY Times journalism.
He's probably in Iran.
US troops killin' bad guys. Don't care how. Don't care why. So long as none of our boys gets hurt.
Indeed. But they somehow fail to name the "police" involved.
That little detail might, you know, help us solve the latest Stalinist propaganda drive-by the media is about to deliver.
U.S. and Iraqi Forces Clash With Shiite Militia, Killing at Least 17 ~ SADR Militia
Earlier reports I saw said nothing about Iraqi forces involved at all.
Sadr is a freely elected politician...you want to kill a representitive in Iraq's parliment??
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