U.S., Iraqi forces kill 300 militants in Najaf U.S. and Iraqi forces killed some 300 gunmen from an apocalyptic Muslim cult in a day-long battle involving U.S. tanks and aircraft near the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, Iraqi police, army and political sources said.
The U.S. military said on Monday it was an ongoing operation so it could not provide any details.
An Iraqi army source said U.S. forces took control of the operation on Sunday and bombing continued in the area until well after dawn on Monday, which was the climax of Ashura, the highpoint of the Shi'ite religious calendar.
(snip)
Police Colonel Ali Nomas said 300 to 350 gunmen had been killed in the operation and dozens more arrested. Three Iraqi soldiers were killed and six more missing, and five policemen were killed. Another 40 Iraqi police and soldiers were wounded.
According to one Iraqi political source, hundreds of fighters, drawn from both Sunni and Shi'ite communities, fought throughout Sunday and late into the night.
A Reuters reporter at the scene, 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, saw U.S. tanks and heard blasts after dark on Sunday and an Iraqi officer said F-16 jets were bombing the area.
Details of the day's fighting were sketchy and the origins of the fighters unclear. An Iraqi army source said some of the dead wore headbands declaring themselves a "Soldier of Heaven."
The political source said up to 1,000 fighters had been involved. An Iraqi army source said they wore camouflage and appeared well organized.
The U.S. military officially handed over responsibility for Najaf province to Iraqi security forces last month, withdrawing most U.S. troops, to be recalled only to help in emergencies.
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Open their eyes, give 'em bloody hell, brave troops, and God Bless You!!
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BTW, Maxine Waters unloaded .. BIG time at the protest. What a venomous cretin:
"The Chairlady of the House of Representatives’ “Out of Iraq Caucus,” Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), also ripped into Bush. She said:
“My name is Maxine Waters and I’m not afraid of George W. Bush.
My name is Maxine Waters and I’m not intimidated by Dick Cheney.
My name is Maxine Waters and I helped to get [Donald] Rumsfeld fired.
My name is Maxine Waters and Connie (sic) Rice is nothing but another Neocon and she doesn’t represent me.
George W. Bush led us into this immoral war. He tricked the American people...He did not tell the truth...Bush says he is ‘the decider,’ but you know what? He’s not ‘the decider. He’s ‘the liar...’
I will not vote one dime for this war...Bring the troops home.”
Waters said some Congress people are only paying “lip service” to the antiwar cause."