"Tension accelerates in Iraq" (Operation Swarmer)

(Some additional details and photos of Operation Distract-Attention-from-the-3rd-Anniversary-of-the-Iraq-War)

2006-03-17 10:10:55

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/index.htm

Special report: Tension accelerates in Iraq

TIKRIT, Iraq, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. and Iraqi troops waged on Thursday a large-scale offensive against insurgents in a sprawling open area northeast of Samarra, 120 km north of Baghdad, a local provincial security source told Xinhua.

"Iraqi army and police forces, backed by U.S. helicopters launched a pre-dawn offensive against insurgents in the Jallamarea from several directions," the source from Salahudin province said on condition of anonymity.

The attack targeted insurgents, including the al-Qaida fighters in the open area between Samarra town to the south and the al-Dowr town to the north, and between Tigris River to the west and the Himrin mountains to the east, the source said.

Local residents name the main road linking Baghdad and Mosul the "death road" as it passes through the targeted area. The offensive against insurgents came amid the recent security deterioration in Iraq.

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U.S. and Iraqi soldiers receive a pre-flight briefing from a
UH-60 Blackhawk crew chief at Forward Operating Base Remagen
airstrip before the start of Operation Swarmer, an assault operation
with the combined U.S. and Iraqi forces targeting insurgents near
the town of Samarra, about 100 km (60miles) north of Baghdad
March 16, 2006. (Xinhua)

..said on CNN that she thought the timing of the event was interesting and that no insurgents had been found. Sounded as if she considered it a concocted event for political gain, although she wouldn't use those words.

..."Victory in Samarra - US Forces Acheive Success"

Call me psychic.