The Hindu : International : Raids targeted at Zarqawi's supporters: U.S.

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Monday, Jul 19, 2004

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International

Raids targeted at Zarqawi's supporters: U.S.

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA, JULY 18. In yet another air strike, American planes bombarded a house in the Iraqi city of Fallujah late on Saturday night, killing at least 14 people and injuring three others.

Eyewitnesses said that the raid took place after midnight and came hours after the Iraqi interim Justice Minister narrowly escaped assassination in a suicide car bombing. The armed group, Tawhid and Jihad, that is allegedly linked to the suspected Al-Qaeda leader, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, had earlier claimed responsibility for the attack on the Minister.

U.S. forces have increased the frequency of air raids after ground troops lost their foothold in the Sunni-dominated city in April-end. The military command has justified air strikes in Fallujah, stating that these attacks target entrenched supporters of Mr. Zarqawi. The U.S. has raised the reward offer to $25 millions for the capture of Mr. Zarqawi, who has been blamed for masterminding a spate of suicide bombings in Iraq.

On Sunday, violence also flared up in Tikrit, the hometown of the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein. Two car bombs targeting the Iraqi police exploded in the city, killing two officers and wounding five others, local authorities said. Iraqi guerillas are, after dominating Fallujah, reportedly gaining ground in Tikrit and Samara, a city with a mixed population of Sunnis and Shias.

The U.S. military command, meanwhile, said that Sufyan Maher Hassan, a commander of the Republican Guard under Mr. Hussein, had been detained in Tikrit. The former General is accused of funding guerillas battling the U.S. occupation.

In other developments, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, arrived in Baghdad on Sunday for talks with top Iraqi officials. He is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Iraq after the interim Government assumed office.

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