Fighting continues in Iraqi no-fly zones

Clashes continued during the past two days in both the northern and southern Iraq "no-fly zones."

The Iraqi News Agency reported that on Saturday 11 sorties were flown by US and UK warplanes from Saudi Arabia over Thi-Qar and Muthanna provinces in southern Iraq, saying that these planes were driven back by Iraqi anti-aircraft fire. The report added that 16 sorties were flown over Duhok, Arbil and Nineveh, targeting civilian targets.

Meanwhile the United States European Command said that yesterday Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery near Bashiqah using radar located near Mosul fired on routine flights by Operation Northern Watch aircraft enforcing the northern Iraq "no-fly zone." It said the planes dropped "ordnance on the integrated air defense system" in response to the attack.

The US Central Command said that US and British aircraft yesterday attacked Iraqi anti-aircraft and radar sites, in response to Iraqi "several instances" of anti-aircraft fire against aircraft enforcing the southern "no-fly zone."