NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 |
April 2, 2003
Release Number: 03-04-28
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
REGIME SHOWS DISREGARD FOR HISTORICAL, RELIGIOUS SITES IN HOLY CITY
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar - Three unguided surface-to-surface Iraqi rockets were shot at and impacted near the holy city of An Najaf today, showing the regime's blatant disregard for the concern of important historical sites located in and around the city.
The unguided rockets used are known as Free Rocket Over Ground, or FROGs.
Regime forces have also fired on Coalition forces from with the city's Ali mosque, one of the most important religious shrines to all of Shi'a Islam throughout the world.
"Coalition forces were disciplined, discriminated, and chose not to return fire against this mosque to keep it protected," said Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks, CENTCOM's Deputy Chief of Operations.
"The regime's use of the Ali mosque for military purposes to trigger a coalition response is just the latest detestable example of the regime's strategy of deliberately putting sacred sites in danger," he said.
Coalition forces target only legitimate military targets and go to great lengths to minimize civilian casualties and damage to civilian facilities.
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