Two Iraqis killed in Basra, two French in Baqouba; Iraqi army anniversary celebrations
Iraq-USA, Military, 1/7/2004

At least two Iraqis were killed yesterday, and four wounded in clashes between the Iraqi police and former members of the Iraqi army who were demonstrating in Basra city, demanding the increase of salaries which have not been paid in months, at a time when the occupation forces and the governing council in Iraq were celebrating the 83rd anniversary of the foundation of the Iraqi army, which the American adminstrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer, desolved in May 2003.

Some 400 former soldiers headed for al-Rafeydeen bank, and two other banks in Basra, demanding the occupation forces to pay their salaries and tried to break into the building, after they were informed that there is no money to pay salaries. Amid an intensive deployment of the British forces which dominate the area, members of the Iraqi police opened fire at the demonstrators, and this resulted in killing two members of the former Iraqi army, and wounding four of them at least.

Certain demonstrators said that the last time they received their salaries was in September, 2003, when each of them received 150 dollars as wages for three months in one payment.

Witnesses said that the British tanks took their positions near the buildings of the three banks. But a spokesman for the British forces denied knowing about opening fire at demonstrators.

The Iraqi police in Baqouba said that one Iraqi policeman was killed yesterday by the bullets of gunmen, while going to his office. The French foreign ministry announced yesterday the killing of two French citizens, in an attack near al-Falouja town, to the west of Baghdad. A French spokesman said that the two killed men were working for an American company, and that a third French man was injured in the attack.

A spokesman for the American occupation forces said yesterday that resistance attacks against the Americans decreased by 60% in one month, considering this a sign that the American forces are being successful against on the resistance.

Gen. Charles Swanak, the commander of the American forces in al-Anbar province, the area which mostly opposes the American presence, said "we have passed this point," adding that the number of attacks against his forces decreased from 19 attacks per one day, to five attacks, following the "iron fist operation," which was launched by the occupation forces against the resistance forces. He added "we have killed or arrested great number of leaders and suppliers and those help rebels. There are still some of them, but we have succeeded in overcoming those who recruit the executors, their leadership and armament."

Previous Stories:
  Iraqi killed, American soldiers wounded in Baghdad explosion   (1/6/2004)
  Bremer's reservation on Kurdish Confederation project   (1/6/2004)
  Kuwait identifies the remains of 61 of its prisoners in Iraq   (1/5/2004)
  Two Iraqis killed, Jordanian wounded in vague incident; Blair in al-Basra: Islamic extremism is a virus   (1/5/2004)
  American soldier killed in a plane crash, demonstration in Baghdad   (1/3/2004)
  Resistance operations continue, detention of al-Salafeyah leaders   (1/2/2004)

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