• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

US Forces in Iraq Take Aim at Saddam Loyalists

Voice of America

VOA News
12 Jun 2003, 17:28 UTC

An American attack helicopter has been shot down in western Iraq, as U.S. troops continue a mission to destroy groups believed to be organizing attacks on American soldiers.

U.S. Central Command says hostile fire apparently brought down the Apache helicopter Thursday, at an undisclosed site in western Iraq. It says coalition forces were able to recover the two-member crew almost immediately and secure the crash site.

Central Command also says an American F-16 fighter plane crashed early today southwest of Baghdad. The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and was picked up by coalition forces an hour later. It says the cause of the crash is under investigation. The incident occurred as the coalition continued an ongoing mission against Baath party supporters, paramilitary groups, and other considered loyal to ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

The U.S. administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, blames such groups for the recent surge in attacks against U.S. soldiers. At least 10 American soldiers have been killed in the past 15 days.

U.S. military officials say thousands of ground troops backed by warplanes and attack helicopters are involved in the campaign north of Baghdad. Central Command says U.S. forces have arrested about 400 people in the operation, which began Monday with raids near the town of Balad

In the latest action, U.S.-led forces attacked what Central Command calls a "terrorist training camp" with an airstrike and ground troops early Thursday. A Central Command statement says one coalition soldier received minor wounds in a gunbattle at the site, 150 kilometers northwest of Baghdad.

The commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq, Lieutenant General David McKiernan, says U.S. forces are also conducting what he called "very lethal" operations in western Iraq. Iraqi civilians are complaining that the military operation is excessive, with soldiers putting handcuffs on women and children.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bremer has banned all publications and pronouncements that call for the return of the Baath Party or incite Iraqis to disorder and violence. The decree Thursday, from Mr. Bremer says violators will be arrested and held for security reasons.