DATE=1/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243785
TITLE=U-S IRAQ ATTACK (L)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AMERICAN AND IRAQI PLANES HAVE CLASHED OVER SOUTHERN
IRAQ, AND U-S OFFICIALS SAY AND ONE IRAQI PLANE MAY HAVE BEEN
SHOT DOWN. V-O-A PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT JIM RANDLE REPORTS THIS
IS THE FIRST TIME U-S AND IRAQI WARPLANES HAVE FIRED AT EACH
OTHER SINCE 1992.
TEXT: A SENIOR U-S DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS FOUR AMERICAN WARPLANES
ENCOUNTERED AT LEAST TWO IRAQI AIRCRAFT IN THE SOUTHERN 'NO-FLY
ZONE' AND FIRED AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES AT THEM.
THE U-S OFFICIAL SAYS ONE IRAQI PLANE MAY HAVE BEEN SHOT DOWN,
BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONFIRMED YET. ALL OF THE AMERICAN PLANES
RETURNED SAFELY TO THEIR BASES.
THE OFFICIAL SAYS THE U-S PLANES INCLUDED F-14 FIGHTERS FROM THE
AIRCRAFT CARRIER 'U-S-S CARL VINSON,' AS WELL AS LAND-BASED
F-15'S. THE IRAQI PLANES WERE JETS, BUT OFFICIALS ARE NOT YET
CERTAIN WHAT TYPE.
IRAQI FORCES HAVE CHALLENGED U-S AND BRITISH WARPLANES TWICE IN
RECENT WEEKS, LAUNCHING ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES AT THEM AS THEY
PATROLLED OVER IRAQ. THE ALLIED AIRCRAFT RESPONDED WITH BOMBS
AND MISSILES ON THOSE OCCASIONS. AT LEAST FOUR IRAQI SOLDIERS
WERE KILLED AND OTHERS WERE INJURED.
TUESDAY'S FIGHT OCCURRED IN THE SOUTHERN 'NO-FLY ZONE,' WHICH WAS
SET UP AFTER THE GULF WAR TO PROTECT SHIITE MUSLIMS FROM AIR
ATTACK BY BAGHDAD'S FORCES. U-S AND BRITISH PLANES ALSO PATROL A
'NO-FLY ZONE' IN NORTHERN IRAQ DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE MINORITY
KURD POPULATION THERE.
PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY IRAQI PLANES OFTEN DART INTO THE NO-FLY
ZONES TO TEST ALLIED PATROLS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IRAQI
AND AMERICAN PLANES HAVE FIRED AT EACH OTHER SINCE 1992, WHEN A
U-S F-16 DOWNED AN IRAQI MIG-25. (SIGNED).
NEB/JR/RRM
05-Jan-99 11:21 AM EST (1621 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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