300 American search operations in 24 hours, arresting 1850 Iraqis Occupation: Saddam will see his end in Tikrit
The American occupation forces in Iraq said yesterday that the belt is tightened around the neck of the toppled Iraqi President and expected his return back to Tikrit to witness his own end, while resistance operations continued against it and resulted during the few past hours in five wounded.
In recent days, the US occupation forces arrested several associates for Saddam Hussein including two of his aides and one of the leaders of Fedayee Saddam. An officer at the contingent which is in pursuit of Saddam's associates in Tikrit area said " I think that Tikrit will witness the last confrontation because he does not know where to resort to." He added " I think we are breaking their backs. It seems they are exhausted." Since April 22nd, the series of attacks and inspection operations in the area resulted in detaining 1850 persons since that date when the American army seized Tikrit and some 16 Iraqis were killed in these operations.
Meantime, an American military spokesman said that the units in charge of chasing the toppled Iraqi president launched in Tikrit area 300 operations of search, 11 raids, and detained 11 persons during the past 24 hours.
On the other hand, an American military spokesman announced that five US soldiers and one Iraqi translator were wounded in two attacks in Baghdad, noting that the first attack took place on the airport road where two Americans were wounded.
Iraqi resistance men also dropped a bomb at an American military convoy. Just half an hour later the second operation took place when Iraqi attackers threw anti- tank shells and explosives at an occupation position near the general headquarters of the Iraqi police and this resulted in wounding three soldiers and one Iraqi translator.
Meantime, the Qatari al-Jazeera TV said that one American soldier was killed and many other wounded yesterday in attacks for the Iraqi resistance in Sameraa city. The TV added that a house for the former chairman of the Iraqi intelligence Wafiq al-Samerra' was also attacked.
Eye witnesses said yesterday that al-Khaledeyah city ( 100 Km to the west of Baghdad ) witnessed yesterday a demonstration against the Americans and acts of violence following exchanged fire between resistance men who tried to attack an American armored vehicle in the downtown of the city and members of the Iraqi police escorting it. Then, the Americans inspected the houses in search for the attackers.
