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Dutch forces involved in gun battle in southern Iraq

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Samawah, Iraq, Aug 11, Kyodo/OANA/IRNA -- Dutch military forces were 
engaged in a gun battle with an armed group Tuesday night in Rumaythah
near the southern Iraqi city of Samawah, where Japanese Ground 
Self-Defense Force troops are stationed. 
An Iraqi citizen was reportedly injured near the scene of the 
fighting, which was about 30 kilometers northwest of Samawah. 
Meanwhile, sources among Samawah security authorities reported an 
apparent mortar shell attack near the Dutch military camp in Samawah 
early Wednesday. According to the sources, two shells were fired, 
causing one car to burst into flames. 
According to local police, the Rumaythah attack took place at 11 
p.m. Tuesday local time. The gunfight was started by a group of three 
militants who fired shots from the roof of a school near the Dutch 
camp, the police said. 
The Dutch forces returned fire, injuring a truck driver, who was 
passing by, in the leg. 
A few hours later, at around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, militants in a 
vehicle fired at Samawah police, who fired back. No injuries were 
reported in this incident. 
In Tokyo, Japan`s Defense Agency said nobody was injured in 
Wednesday`s apparent mortar shell attack, which occurred at around 3 
a.m. 
Separately, on Tuesday, three mortar shells landed near the 
Japanese camp in Samawah. Nobody was injured in that incident either. 
In April, two mortar shells were fired at the Dutch camp, damaging
a vehicle but causing no injuries. 
The Japanese troops` camp is stationed some 7 km from the Dutch 
base. 
As Tuesday night`s attack also targeted Samawah police, the attack
could be a part of simultaneous attacks by militant forces against the
police and Dutch troops. 
Security in Iraq remains volatile, with fierce clashes between 
US forces and radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr`s Mahdi Army militia 
continuing to ravage through various parts of Iraq and leaving scores 
of people dead. 
Japan has deployed some 550 ground troops in Samawah since early 
this year for operations such as supplying clean water and medical 
support. However, they have mostly been confined to their camp because
of security worries. 
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