Occupation denies existence of foreign fighters in Tikrit; warn citizens of 'additional measures' to halt resistance
Iraq-USA, Military, 11/11/2003

The American occupation forces in Iraq yesterday continued its campaign against areas in northern Baghdad and its west where breaking in and detention operations were killed. One American soldier was killed in an attack at his patrol to the south of Baghdad thereby the number of American soldiers killed since declaring the end of main fighting in May increased to 154 soldiers while number of killing since the beginning of October reached 37 making the first week of this month will be the bloodiest for the occupation.

It seemed that the occupation forces started the implementation of a new strategy in challenging the resistance, concentrating on terrifying the population in the areas where with the most intense resistance such as Tikrit and al-Falouja which were exposed by the end of the week to air bombardment carried out by the American forces for the first time since the end of the war on May 1st.

The occupation threatened people of this area of tougher strikes if resistance continues which an American spokeswoman alleged it depends on people getting "sums between USD 200 to 300" to carry out attacks against the Americans. But the US spokeswoman said that the money paid for this purpose increased recently because of tightening security measures at the occupation's headquarters.

In Tikrit, where the headquarters of the US forces was exposed to a missile whose source was not known, the commander of army contingent Steven Racil warned citizens of the city of "additional measures" to halt the attacks against the occupation forces. He said that members who carry out the attacks are more expectedly from local citizens and no foreign fighters.

The second element in the new American strategy of the occupation is increasing the Iraqi intelligence members in order to arrest persons suspected to be part of the resistance operations, where 35 persons in al-Mansour quarters were arrested, presumed to have links to the missile attacks at al-Rashid hotel in October, is considered an example on this new strategy, according to a prominent American military official. The official said that collecting intelligence information has become one of our priorities.

American soldiers yesterday at dawn raided positions in al-Khales area to the west of Baqouba and detained two men saying that one of them is the former colonel in the Iraqi intelligence, Arkan Salem, and he was accused of organizing resistance in northern Iraq. The Americans found a large shelter for weapons in Tikrit, they were led by one Iraqi spying on their befhalf.

One American patrol was exposed to an attack by missile shelling in Al- Iskandareyah town to the south of Baghdad yesterday and this resulted in killing one soldier, according to an American statement.

In al-Musil, a source in the Iraqi police said that three American soldiers were injured and their vehicle was damaged yesterday at dawn when their procession run over an explosive implanted at a bridge in al-Musil.

Hundreds of Iraqis demonstrated yesterday mourning the chairman of al- Sader Shiite city municipality in Baghdad Muhammad Gfhazi al-Kaadi who was killed at the hands of the American forces. The US forces said that one soldier opened fire at al-Kaadi outside the building of al-Sader city on Sunday during hand clashes between him and another soldier. The US statement added that the man ( al-Kaadi) tried to get into the complex with his car which contains the council's building but the guards who did not recognize him stopped him and he had a row with one of the guards. The statement concluded that another soldier opened fire at the driver and was admitted to a neighboring military hospital and died because of his wounds.. Investigations are being made over this incident.

Previous Stories:
  First killed Polish in Iraq, two US killed, detentions of families of the resistance people, US rotates forces   (11/8/2003)
  Attacks against occupation, a strike in Najaf; Talibani visits turkey and criticizes Syria   (11/6/2003)
  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)

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