Middle East News
Up 160 militants dead in fierce clashes close to Najaf (Roundup)
Jan 29, 2007, 15:40 GMT
Baghdad - Iraq was again riven by violence on Monday with a series of attacks in the capital Baghdad following fierce overnight clashes close to the holy city of Najaf in which 160 suspected militants were killed and 130 arrested.
Iraqi Defence Minister Abdel-Qader Jassem said the intense fighting in Najaf took place as joint US and Iraqi forces conducted an operation against a militant group known as Jund Allah (Soldiers of God).
Earlier death tolls issued by police put the number of dead militants at more than 250, but this was subsequently revised downwards.
Jassem in comments to the press said 160 were killed and around 50 were wounded but the 'full losses' on either side were yet to be assessed. The minister added that the operations had ceased and the Jund Allah group had been completely destroyed.
The minister added that they killed the cult leader known as 'Ali son of Ali bin Abu-Taleb,' whose dead body was found by police.
Ali bin Abu-Taleb is the name of the Prophet Mohammed's cousin, a Shiite icon.
'But their motives are more political than they are religious,' added the minister, adding that the group had 'ties with other terror groups' and was well-funded and equipped.
Najaf governor Assad Abu-kalal called the security operations that claimed many lives 'legal and constitutional.'
'Around 100 detainees are not Iraqis, but are from Yemen, Algeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan,' a police spokesman had earlier said.
The clashes began early Sunday in fields in Sarka near Najaf, where militants and Iraqi policemen exchanged fire. US military helicopters reportedly provided aid during the raid, with one craft reportedly shot down in the fighting.
Reports said the Sunni extremists had been planning a major attack against pilgrims gathering in Najaf and in neighbouring Karbala to celebrate the Shiite Ashura festival.
Ashura commemorates the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Mohammed, at the battle of Karbala in the seventh century. The religious festivities were to commence Monday, which Sunnis and the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government had declared as Ashura day.
However, Shiite clerics claimed Tuesday would be the most important day of the festival.
The governor of Karbala, Akil al-Chasali was expecting 2 million visitors to the city, he said. Some 10,000 soldiers and policemen would guard the pilgrims' security.
The increase in security did not prevent violence from erupting. Unrest was reported in Karbala and Sadr City.
Meanwhile at least five people were killed and 10 wounded in separate explosions in eastern Baghdad. In one incident, a car bomb exploded in a Shiite-dominated district, killing one Iraqi and wounding five others.
In another incident, a bus bomb exploded in Palestine Street in the city centre, immediately killing four people and wounding five others.
Witnesses said paramedics were seen rushing to the scene of the attacks, which had been sealed off.
Police in Baghdad also said they discovered 42 unidentified bodies which were dumped in several districts overnight. The bodies showed signs of torture and gunshots.
Also Monday, a law student and three teachers were abducted from Nahrein University in Baghdad, a statement issued by Iraq's Higher Education Ministry said.
According to the statement, the academics were 'kidnapped' as they were leaving the university in the Shiite Kazimiyah district.
Since April 2003, more than 185 university professors have been killed by militias, 142 have been captured by security forces and 52 have been kidnapped by armed militants, the ministry said.
'Those who have national values should immediately and firmly push for the release of the kidnapped,' said the statement.
Higher Education Minister Abd Ziyab al-Ojeily only last week was the target of an assassination attempt, after armed men opened fire on his convoy, killing his bodyguard and seriously wounding another.
In another development Monday, the chair of the Shiite SCIRI party, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim repeated his demands for the creation of an autonomous region in the Shiite-dominated areas of south and central Iraq.
'This is in line with our constitution and will help us to solve most of our problems,' he said. The SCIRI party is part of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government coalition.
Sunnis reject the moves for Shiite autonomy and consider it a first step towards a break-up of the state.
Also on Monday, the Association of Muslim Scholars - Iraq's highest Sunni authority - protested against the capture of 12 Sunni guards from a mosque in Amiriyah district, western Baghdad, by US-led coalition and Iraqi forces.
They claimed in a statement that the forces seized the guards' weapons, charity money that they carried, computers and the fuel used for electric generators. They called the seizure 'a robbery' and urged the forces to release the guards and return their belongings.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Middle East
- 1. Jerusalem prelate tells Arab Spring youth to have confidence
- 2. More than 100 killed in Syria ahead of ceasefire deadline
- 3. At least 43 killed in Syria, despite UN criticism
- 4. 19 killed in Syria as ceasefire deadline approaches
- 5. Pilgrims flock to Jerusalem for Easter, Passover
Older Talkback
page: 1
This is the way that it is supposed to be done, period. The enemy does not take prisoners, I don't think that we should either. SPARE NO QUATER works. We have to win at any cost.
Hmmmm... Let's go and kill the foreign terrorists...
Guess what, since the U.S. has invaded their country, it is the U.S. that are the foreigners.
The U.S. should go after and destroy Al Qaeda, who, contrary to the Cheney-line, were not in Iraq.
Why did the U.S. stop short of destroying Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and divert to Iraq? That diversion had nothing to do -- if you look at the facts -- with the terrorists of Al Qaeda and their supporters (if you want to extend your aggression beyond the terrorists that have attacked the U.S. and its interests abroad).
It may feel good to shout, 'Yay! Kill them all!' You may feel good venting your anger at 'foreigners.' But such aggression simply, and only will result in more terrorists acts against us.
Thank you very much for playing.
when you declare war on a country and invade it the opposition are not terrorists but resistance fighters and hold more legitimacy in the eyes of international law than america who has gone against the will of the un and the world.
unfortunately the rest of the world views america as the terrorists now
Bring everyone from every side to the table to try and reach agreement on at least one thing - to stop killing. Surely, that is the way forward. One small step at a time.
This is why the fighters are called terrorist, they refuse to join the political process of their country! Their goal is to kill, kill and kill.
Everyone crying, don't send more troops. We need 100,000 or whatever it
takes. Go door to door every home and building and dis-arm everyone.
Agree~knock on every door! Ignore the stupid resolution-issuing handwringers within the circle of political demogogues. Doesn't everyone realize the Vietnam war was lost in Washington by MacNamara and his ilk?
Where is our National stamina and pride?
Perhaps all of you missed the very important statement in the article that,
'Around 100 detainees are not Iraqis, but are from Yemen, Algeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan,' a police spokesman had earlier said.
There were only 130 that were arrested. Do the math. These aren't citizens of Iraq. These are insurgents. Terrorists trying to create unrest so that they can have a safe haven to continue planning bigger and better attacks. The same safe haven they had under Saddam Hussein.
If all it took for these people to like Americans was for them to get to know us than why did 19 men live in this country for weeks, even years, then board 4 aircraft and kill themselves and over 2,000 Americans? They were living here among us.
And as for peaceful coexistence. Has there even been such a thing in the Middle East in recent history?
this is how the american empire will collapse fighting unjust wars killing millions of innocents,the americans will never achieve control of the oil and the spiralling costs of fighting on two fronts will eventually bring them to their knees the same way the soviet union collapsed.The boot will eventually end up on the other foot and it will be payback time for the people who have been oppressed for so long
Now 160, i thought it was 300 killed. Illustrates the fog of war. They are resistance fighters regardless of their political affiliation. Wait ot this summer there will be renewed violence in Afghanistan, which tends to petter out during allowing the insurgents to reorganise and recruit. The 'surge' is an illusation consider the US hd 160,000 during January 2005 election, which did not destroy insurgency. The way i see it is the US is gonna considerable damage the Sunni aspect of the resistance but fail to deal specifically with the Mehdi army. Whats the phrase they have been saying in Washington 'The war is over and Iran has won'
truthsayer...quote:
'The boot will eventually end up on the other foot and it will be payback time for the people who have been oppressed for so long'
Well Saddam received his payback - from his own people. Was he not an oppressor? At least the people in Iraq have the beginnings of democracy - a government, voted in by the people. Without an invasion Saddam would still have be in power and thousands of people without hope and living under extreme oppression.
Iraq has a democratically elected government. These are irqi soldiers killing Iraqi insurgents.
The USA? All we did was help someone free themselves. They can now go to the polls, pick their leaders and have a say. Except for the scum that wants to enslave them, they are freer than they've ever been.
Who's on who's side?
' They are resistance fighters regardless of their political affiliation '
Adolf Hitler was a Freedom Fighter fighting against The Great Satan . Millions agreed and Millions still agree , Hitler was Fair and Just .
The vast majority of killing in Iraq is Iraqis killing Iraqis , by anyones estimate . Resistance to what ? Fighting against what ?
Iraq is no different than the rest of the Planet , no one is different , if you have ever read a history book or looked inside an Encyclopedia you would know this .
What is wrong with the world ? Look in the mirror . It is You and Me .
Jose writes:
>
Duly noted, Jose. Not from Iran? Holey Dooley!
But will it make a difference? Not to us Americans. We'll bomb Iran flat anyway, and leave another mass of dirty DU footprints on that land, also.
We deserve a bloodied nose for our anti-social behavior -- Dems included for being no better by not impeaching W.
Remember what Putin said about invading Iraq, 'Not a good idea.' :o)
So glad Iran has a few defensive weapons.
GMB
'So glad Iran has a few defensive weapons.'
Yeah, like when they went to war with Iraq... Their main 'defensive weapon' was human waves of teenage boys.
page: 1
kt kill the dirtbagsJan 29th, 2007 - 16:51:31
this is how you win a war! you go in and kill the friggen terrorists
Report this comment