Washington says arrest of Saddam Hussein is soon; occupation apologize to Shiites
Iraq-USA, Military, 8/15/2003

The American occupation forces detained 10 Iraqis during campaigns of arrest and inspection in the city of Tikrit, the birthplace of the toppled Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The search operations for Saddam Hussein and his supporters resulted in killing 6 Iraqis during the past 24 hours in Beji and Baqouba cities.

The commander of the first contingent of troops, Col. James Hakey, said that there is enough evidence saying that Saddam Hussein is in an area around Tikrit, stressing that the American forces will arrest him sooner or later. He added that the base of Saddam Hussein's supporters is shrinking and he is moving inside a fence around him which has increasingly narrowing.

Meantime, the American army yesterday apologized to the Iraqi Shiite population over the killing of one Iraqi child in confrontation in al-Sader city -- formerly known as Saddam city -- and promised to punish the responsible soldiers. In a message sent to one prominent Shiite clergy, the US army admitted that what had happened was a mistake and was not addressed against any of the al-Sader city citizens. The army vowed to investigate the incident and punish persons responsible for it.

At the security level, commander of the American forces in Iraq Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said that investigations are underway into various incidents which resulted in Iraqi victims at the hand of the American soldiers.

In a press conference held in Baghdad, he added that Iraqi civil defense forces were formed and started actually to run joint patrols with the Americans in al-Musil, stressing that there is intention to strengthen these forces in addition to the police in order to assume security keeping missions in Iraq.

In the USA, hundreds of the relatives of the American soldiers in Iraq started a campaign in Washington to convince the American administration and the Congress to return back their children and withdraw all forces from Iraq.

The families expressed great frustration over what is described as hard conditions and the continued acts of killing soldiers in Iraq are exposed to.

Previous Stories:
  News on killing seven American soldiers in different incidents in Iraq   (8/14/2003)
  One American killed, many injured; Iraqi Republican general arrested   (8/13/2003)
  Two explosions near British embassy in Baghdad; American soldier, two Iraqi policemen killed   (8/12/2003)
  Burns in Tikrit   (8/11/2003)
  Hours burial, two Iraqi flags wrapping Ode, Qusai coffins disappear   (8/4/2003)
  Three Americans wounded, Bremer: Iraq's resources are not enough for rebuilding   (8/2/2003)

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