03 September 2000
Text: U.S. Central Command on Iraqi Air Strike
(Coalition aircraft struck air defense sites) (270)
Following is an announcement from the U.S. Central Command detailing
an air strike in southern Iraq by coalition aircraft at approximately
8:40 a.m. on September 2:
(begin text)
HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
September 2, 2000
COALITION AIRCRAFT RESPOND TO IRAQI PROVOCATIONS
MacDill AFB -- At approximately 8:40 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time,
coalition aircraft enforcing the Southern No-Fly Zone used
precision-guided weapons to strike integrated air defense
command-and-control sites in southern Iraq.
All coalition aircraft have returned safely and battle damage
assessment is ongoing.
The strikes came in response to anti-aircraft artillery fire directed
yesterday [September 1] against coalition aircraft enforcing United
Nations Security Council Resolutions.
The sites were targeted to further degrade Iraq's ability to
jeopardize coalition pilots and aircraft enforcing United Nations'
mandates. The last coalition strike was against three air defense
command-and-control sites and three anti-aircraft artillery sites on
August 30.
Coalition aircraft do not target civilian populations or
infrastructure and take conscientious measures to avoid injury to
civilians and damage to civilian facilities.
Since December 1998, Iraq has fired anti-aircraft artillery or surface
to air missiles at coalition aircraft or violated the Southern
No-Fly-Zone nearly 700 times.
By enforcing the UNSCR-directed No-Fly-Zones in Iraq, coalition pilots
are protecting the Shiite population in the South and the Kurdish
population in the North.
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