Military

DATE=10/27/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / BRITISH FORCES (L-O)

NUMBER=2-319942

BYLINE=GREG LAMOTTE

DATELINE=BAGHDAD

HEADLINE: British Troops Move Northward Toward Baghdad

INTRO: About 850 British troops in Iraq are moving north toward Baghdad from the city of Basra. As we hear from VOA's Greg LaMotte in Baghdad, the arrival of the British troops appears to further indicate an impending major ground assault west of Baghdad.

TEXT: A senior Iraqi Interior Ministry official says the purpose of the British redeployment is for, as he put it, one reason and one reason only. He said it is to allow a greater number of U.S. troops to take part in what he said was a near certain ground assault on the rebellious city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad. He also said, such an assault would likely occur soon after the presidential election in the United States, just one-week away.

Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says he is still attempting to reach a peaceful settlement that, among other things, would result in the handover of wanted militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and others associated with him. There is a 25-million dollar reward for al-Zarqawi's capture, but tribal leaders in Fallujah have said he is not in the area.

For weeks, U.S. forces have waged a daily bombing campaign on Fallujah, targeting safe houses, secret meeting places and known associates of the wanted militant. Senior Iraqi interim government officials have said the bombing runs are also intended to prepare the city for what is expected to be a possible massive ground assault involving U.S. and Iraqi military personnel.

British troops arriving from Basra, in southern Iraq, are expected to take up positions south of Baghdad once the possible ground assault begins.

Fallujah has become one of the so-called no-go zones for coalition forces because insurgents and foreign fighters are believed to hold positions in the city. Interim Prime Minister Allawi has promised to re-take the streets of Fallujah, a city many government officials say has become, what they call, a cancer in Iraq.

In the meantime, a kidnapped Japanese citizen appeared on a videotape begging for his life and asking the Japanese government to withdraw its 550 non-combat troops in Iraq. The group associated with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi released the videotape on the Internet. Masked gunmen said they would behead 24-year-old Shosei Koda unless the troops were withdrawn in 48-hours. Japanese officials rejected the demand.

And, the fate of 59-year-old humanitarian aid worker Margaret Hassan remains a mystery. The head of Care International in Iraq was abducted more than a week ago. She appeared in a videotape, tearfully begging for her life and said her captors were threatening to cut off her head if British forces moved north from Basra to Baghdad. (SIGNED)

NEB/GL/RAE/KBK