The Hindu : International : U.S.-led assault continues in Iraq

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Saturday, Mar 18, 2006

International

International

U.S.-led assault continues in Iraq

Three killed in drive-by shooting at Shia pilgrims

— PHOTO: AP

U.S. and Iraqi soldiers exit from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Samarra, Iraq, on Thursday. — PHOTO: AP

BAGHDAD: Helicopter-borne U.S. and Iraqi troops pressed their sweep through a 160-square-km swath of central Iraq on Friday in a bid to break up a centre of militant resistance, the U.S. military said. No resistance or casualties were reported.

``We believe we achieved a tactical surprise,'' Lt. Col. Edward Loomis, spokesman for the 101st Airborne Division, said of the day-old Operation Swarmer, the biggest air assault here in three years. He said about 40 suspects were detained, 10 of whom were later released.

In tense Baghdad, meanwhile, drive-by gunmen targeting streams of Shia Muslim pilgrims killed three persons and wounded five in Sunni areas of the city, police reported.

Devout Shias were headed south to the holy city of Karbala for a religious holiday, a pilgrimage that authorities feared would present ``soft'' targets in the continuing Sunni-Shia violence roiling Iraq. At least seven other persons were reported killed in scattered violence in and near Baghdad. A standoff between the Shia majority and Sunni minority underlies the political impasse blocking formation of a new government of national unity here. An all-party meeting was scheduled for later Friday to try to move those negotiations forward.

Probe into civilians' death

The U.S. military has opened a criminal investigation into a November 2005 fire-fight between U.S. Marines and militants near Baghdad that left 15 Iraqi civilians dead, defence officials said on Thursday.

The inquiry will determine whether the Marines involved in the fire fight in Haditha acted appropriately by firing on the civilians. — AP

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