Attacks against occupation, a strike in Najaf; Talibani visits turkey and criticizes Syria
Iraq-USA, Military, 11/6/2003

The Kurdish leader Jalal al-Talibani who assumed the rotating presidency of the provisional governing council in Iraq announced he will be visiting Turkey to discuss the crisis of sending Turkish forces to northern Iraq and to purify the atmospheres.

Talibani accused Syria of obstructing the participation of the Interim Governing Council in the meeting of the foreign ministers of Iraq's neighboring states which was held recently in Damascus. He called on Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran to tighten control of their borders and prevent border crossing operations to Iraq.

Meantime, Spain started to withdraw many of its diplomats from Baghdad for security reasons. SpainÕs Minister of Foreign Affairs Ana Maria Palacio said that she will keep in Baghdad only the embassy charge de affairs while she will summon other employees for consultation with them.

Spain, however, is witnessing a strong internal opposition for its military presence in Iraq, especially after the killing of three Spaniards there in the few past weeks.

During the few past hours, attacks were accelerated against the occupation forces. Al-Baker military base which the American forces take as headquarters was attacked in Sameraa to the north of Baghdad by mortars.

Witnesses said that smoke was seen coming out of the site of the attack, while the American helicopters flew in the skies of the city especially over the military base and the neighboring areas.

In another attack, a source in the Iraqi police said that one mortar went off in one of the Iraqi police centers in Baqouba, 60 Km to the northern east of Baghdad. No casualties were reported.

One Iraqi farmer was killed by a bullet fired by the American forces during a mopping up operation in one of the agricultural areas in al-Miqdadeyah to the north of Baqouba on Tuesday evening.

In Karkouk, witnesses said that two Iraqi women were injured in an attack that targeted a former woman official in the dissolved Baath party in the city.

Al-Najaf governor declared an open general strike in the city in protest of the assassination of Mouhan Jaber al-Shweili, one of the city's judges after he was appointed to try the Baathists. However, the wave of assassination also covered two remarkable judges in al-Musil and one judge in Karkouk.

This comes at a time when the American leadership enhanced its reinforcements in the surrounding of the Presidential palace, or what is known as the green area in the downtown of Baghdad, where the occupation's main headquarters forces is situated.

The military vehicles and tanks were deployed along an area of five Kilometers from the headquarters following Tuesday's attack by mortars shelling that resulted in wounding five American soldiers.

Previous Stories:
  Two American soldiers killed, a judge assassinated in Musil   (11/5/2003)
  Bush rejects withdrawal from Iraq; Explosions in Baghdad and two attacks in Kerbalaa   (11/4/2003)
  Assafir: Al-Sader press center: the occupation remains an occupation and will be always rejected   (11/4/2003)
  Escalation of resistance; Iraqi killed in attack on deputy governor   (11/4/2003)

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