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Coalition Drops First Leaflets in Northern Iraq

March 1, 2003

UNITED STATES EUROPEAN COMMAND -- INCIRLIK AIR BASE, TURKEY -- For the first time, coalition aircraft enforcing the no-fly zone in northern Iraq dropped informational leaflets near Iraqi anti-aircraft-artillery batteries at approximately 8:45 a.m. EST.

Called Operation Northern Watch (ONW), the coalition forces monitoring the Iraqis for compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions dropped 240,000 leaflets on two locations approximately 10 miles northeast of Mosul. Both locations have a history of Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery firing on coalition jets.

The front message on the leaflets warns the Iraqi military, "Do not track or fire on coalition aircraft." The backside of the leaflets read, "Any hostile action by Iraqi air defenses toward coalition aircraft will be answered by immediate retaliation. Iraqi air defense positions which fire on coalition aircraft or activate air defense radar will be attacked and destroyed."

Based out of Incirlik AB, Turkey, Operation Northern Watch is conducted by a coalition of more than 1,400 U.S., United Kingdom and Turkish forces with more than 50 aircraft used to patrol the northern no-fly zone.

Coalition aircraft have been enforcing the northern no-fly zone for approximately 12 years. Since Dec. 28, 1998, Saddam Hussein has opted to challenge this enforcement by firing at coalition aircraft with surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery and by targeting them with weapons radar.