97 Iraqis Killed In US Search And Destroy Operations

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

from Rick Rozoff:

HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
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http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=1840B8B7-A702-4817-8B94DEFFB392C40F

Voice of America
June 13, 2003

US Troops Kill 97 During Operation to Wipe Out Saddam
Loyalists
VOA News



-On Thursday, Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization
awarded its first post-war oil contracts to European
and American companies. The sale of Iraqi oil is to be
used to help rebuild the war-torn country.




U.S. military officials say American troops have
killed at least 97 enemy combatants in Iraq this week
during operations aimed at rooting out die-hard
supporters of Saddam Hussein.

Officials say 70 of those were killed in an assault on
what the U.S. Central Command calls a "terrorist
training camp" northwest of Baghdad. The fighting
began early Thursday. The military has given no
details about the camp nor said why it was designated
a terrorist installation.

U.S. Central Command says American troops Friday,
killed another 27 fighters after coming under attack
north of the Iraqi capital. A Central Command
statement says the troops killed four attackers after
being targeted with rocket-propelled grenades in the
town of Balad. It says U.S. forces then pursued the
rest of the group with armored vehicles and helicopter
gunships, killing another 23 attackers. No U.S.
casualties were reported in the clash.

U.S. officials have blamed Baath party loyalists and
paramilitary groups still loyal to Saddam for the
recent surge in attacks on U.S. soldiers. At least 10
American soldiers have been killed in the past 16
days.

Meanwhile, U.S. and Turkish officials are
investigating two explosions that ripped through a oil
pipeline in northern Iraq late Thursday. Some
witnesses say bombs caused the explosions on the
pipeline, which carries oil to Turkey.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul says the
explosions were the result of sabotage. But U.S.
officials in Iraq say the blasts appear to have been
accidents.

On Thursday, Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization
awarded its first post-war oil contracts to European
and American companies. The sale of Iraqi oil is to be
used to help rebuild the war-torn country.


Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP
and Reuters.