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U.S. forces end Husaybah assault

Atul Aneja

DUBAI: The U.S. military authorities are making arrangements for positioning Iraqi forces in Husaybah after announcing that a five-day assault on this town along the Syrian border had ended.

Around 3,500 American and Iraqi soldiers had participated in Operation Steel Curtain, which began on Saturday. The operation was the largest since the U.S. forces besieged Fallujah in November 2004.

The U.S. military said the offensive was aimed at eliminating Al-Qaeda fighters who had established a base in this area. A statement by the military said the U.S. and Iraqi forces had arrested around 180 guerillas and killed dozens of them during the operation. One U.S. marine was also killed.

The statement added that the offensive was part of Operation Sayaid (Hunter), and was meant to deny Al-Qaeda in Iraq the ability to operate in the Euphrates river valley. A permanent military presence of the U.S. and Iraqi forces along the Syrian border is now envisaged.

Responding to the strike, an online statement by Al-Qaeda's Iraq wing said it would launch a counter-offensive in Western Iraq.

Fairness of trial

The assassination of a lawyer representing the former President, Saddam Hussein's co-defendant, on Tuesday called into question the fairness of Mr. Hussein's trial.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the assassinations undermined efforts to uphold the rule of law. "It is vitally important that the security of all involved with the tribunal should be equally assured to ensure a trial free from intimidation and coercion," he said through his spokeswoman, Marie Okabe.

Jolted by the killings, Mr. Hussein's defence team has demanded an international investigation and called for shifting the trial abroad. Mr. Hussein's personal lead attorney Khalil al-Dulaimi has threatened to boycott the court, which is due to convene for its next hearing at the end of the month. A government spokesperson said the second session would proceed on November 28 as planned.

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