Coalition drops more leaflets in Northern Iraq
Released: March 10, 2003
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (USAFENS) - Coalition
aircraft enforcing the no-fly zone in northern Iraq dropped informational
leaflets near Iraqi anti-aircraft-artillery batteries at approximately 9:25 a.m.
European Standard Time March 10.
Called
Operation Northern Watch, the coalition forces monitoring the Iraqis for
compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions dropped 240,000 leaflets on
two locations south of Tall Afar and southwest of Saddam Lake.
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."
This
is the second time in the 12-year history of the northern no-fly zone that
coalition forces have dropped leaflets. The
previous leaflet drop was northeast of Mosul, March 1.
Based
out of Incirlik Air Base, 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.
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.
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