DATE=1/13/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-244122 TITLE=IRAQ/CLASH (S) BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: IRAQ'S MILITARY SAYS ITS AIR DEFENSES HIT A U-S OR BRITISH PLANE OVER IRAQ (WEDNESDAY). RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU IN CAIRO. TEXT: A STATEMENT FROM THE IRAQI MILITARY SAID AN IRAQI SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE HIT A U-S OR BRITISH PLAN PATROLLING THE NO-FLY ZONE IN NORTHERN IRAQ. THE STATEMENT SAID IRAQI AIR DEFENSES OPENED FIRE ON WHAT IT CALLED AN ENEMY FORMATION. THE STATEMENT ADDED AN IRAQI BORDER OBSERVATION POST SAW ONE OF THE -- ENEMY PLANES -- GET HIT. THE UNITED STATES HAS CONFIRMED IRAQ FIRED AT LEAST ONE MISSILE, BUT DENIES ITS PLANES WERE DAMAGED. U-S OFFICIALS SAID TWO PLANES ATTACKED AN IRAQI MISSILE BATTERY NEAR THE CITY OF MOSUL AND THEN RETURNED SAFELY TO THEIR BASE IN TURKEY. THE LATEST CLASH IS AN INDICATION OF IRAQ'S INCREASING DEFIANCE OF THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN NO FLY ZONES. BOTH THE U-S AND BRITAIN HAVE SAID THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE NO-FLY ZONES AND RESPOND WITH MILITARY FORCE WHEN THREATENED. (SIGNED) NEB/RHE/RAE/JO 13-Jan-99 10:01 AM EST (1501 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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