Posted on 06/15/2003 4:24:53 PM PDT by demlosers
* Iraq’s former air chief captured
* US military compound near Baghdad attacked
* Troops begin hunt for arms after deadline ends
BAGHDAD: US troops unleashed overnight a new operation codenamed Desert Scorpion against forces loyal to ousted president Saddam Hussein in northern Iraq, a coalition spokesman said on Sunday.
“It started last night, it is still ongoing,” said Sergeant 1st Class Brian Thomas from coalition Joint Task Force 7. “We are targeting anyone who is striking against US soldiers. Some of them are Baath Party members and some of them are against our peace efforts. We have detained people, but we don’t have any numbers.”
Meanwhile, Operation Peninsula Strike, a massive six-day US military assault in north-central Iraq to clamp down on pro-Saddam fighters, was brought to a close Thursday, US Central Command (Centcom) said Sunday.
“The 4th Infantry Division and supporting units from Task Force Ironhorse concluded an extensive raid on June 12, 2003,” a statement said. US forces backed by air support carried out a night-time raid hunting for pro-Saddam Hussein guerrillas in the tense Iraqi city of Fallujah, witnesses and an American sergeant told AFP on Sunday.
Unidentified assailants launched a mortar attack on a US military headquarters in Ramadi, west of the capital Baghdad setting the building on fire, an Arab television station reported on Sunday.
The Qatar-based al-Jazeera television quoted one of its correspondents in Baghdad as saying that ambulances were seen heading towards the compound.
Saddam’s air chief in custody: US forces in Iraq have taken into custody the commander of the Iraqi air force under the rule of Saddam Hussein, the US military said on Saturday.
Hamid Raja Shalah al-Tikriti was number 17 of the US list of 55 most wanted Iraqis Washington wants detained, the US Central Command said in a statement. It gave no further details.
The latest detention brings to 31 the number of people on the “most-wanted” list known to have surrendered or been captured. The list is topped by Saddam followed by his two sons, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Hunt for weapons: US forces hunted for heavy weapons on Sunday in towns bristling with guns after a two-week arms amnesty that yielded scant response from Iraqis still anxious about postwar lawlessness.
“Those who carry weapons in public without a temporary permit will be detained, their weapons confiscated, and subject to imprisonment for up to one year and fines,” the U.S. army said in a statement. “Coalition forces will aggressively enforce the weapons control policy.”
Meanwhile, former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is probably alive and the United States has to go after him, Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Fox News Channel on Saturday. Myers also said there are at least five groups operating against US and British forces in Iraq, that weapons of mass destruction will be found in time, and there was no attempt by the White House to falsify the existence of those weapons.
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