Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Iran denies Revolutionary Guards working in Iraq
Region
(AFP) - Iran denied yesterday US accusations that a unit of its Revolutionary Guards, the Quds Force, was working inside Iraq to foment more unrest in its conflict-torn neighbour."Their statements are unreal and unwise," national security chief Ali Larijani was quoted as saying by the ISNA student news agency. A top US general on Sunday charged that around 50 members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards are inside Iraq and training Shiite extremists to launch attacks on US and Iraqi security forces.
Major General Rick Lynch, commander of US forces in central Iraq, said that members of the Quds Force have set up base in Babil, Karbala and Najaf provinces and the southern outskirts of the capital. "If there are 50 members of the Quds force in Iraq, give the names of five of them," challenged Larijani. "Some people say arms with 'made in Iran' written onto them have entered Iraq from Iran. It is obvious that these statements are wrong," he added.
The US military has regularly accused the Quds Force of training Iraqi militants in the use of rockets and explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) -- fist-sized bombs capable of slicing through heavy armour -- but Lynch's comments were first claims that they are operating inside Iraq. The Quds Force is the covert operations unit of the Guards -- which the White House is seeking to blacklist as terrorist group. The United States accuses Shiite-majority Iran of inciting sectarian violence in Iraq. Iran denies the allegation and blames the US-led occupation for Iraq's insecurity.
Major General Rick Lynch, commander of US forces in central Iraq, said that members of the Quds Force have set up base in Babil, Karbala and Najaf provinces and the southern outskirts of the capital. "If there are 50 members of the Quds force in Iraq, give the names of five of them," challenged Larijani. "Some people say arms with 'made in Iran' written onto them have entered Iraq from Iran. It is obvious that these statements are wrong," he added.
The US military has regularly accused the Quds Force of training Iraqi militants in the use of rockets and explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) -- fist-sized bombs capable of slicing through heavy armour -- but Lynch's comments were first claims that they are operating inside Iraq. The Quds Force is the covert operations unit of the Guards -- which the White House is seeking to blacklist as terrorist group. The United States accuses Shiite-majority Iran of inciting sectarian violence in Iraq. Iran denies the allegation and blames the US-led occupation for Iraq's insecurity.
Labels: Ali Larijani, EFPs, Iran, Iraq, Major General Rick Lynch, Quds Force, Revolutionary Guards, Shiite militias, southern Iraq
Monday, August 13, 2007
Insurgents resort to new tactics
Insurgency
(The Times) - In southern Baghdad, five US troops were killed in an attack blamed on al-Qaeda. A sniper shot and killed a US soldier, then lured his comrades to a booby-trapped house where four more were killed and four wounded. The U.S. military said the soldiers were part of Task Force Marne, which has deployed in areas south of Baghdad to stop the flow of weapons, explosives and Shi'ite and Sunni Arab militants into the capital. General Rick Lynch, who commands districts to the south of the Iraqi capital, said the use of rigged houses was a new tactic. Another US soldier was killed by small arms fire in a separate attack. Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, said yesterday that a peace summit to try to end the political deadlock could begin in the next two days.
Labels: Al Qaeda, Major General Rick Lynch, rigged houses, Task Force Marne, U.S. troops
Thursday, May 17, 2007
U.S. military offers rewards of $200,000 for information on missing soldiers
Security
(BBC) - The US military has offered rewards of up to $200,000 (£100,000) for information leading to the return of three of its soldiers missing in Iraq. Thousands of US and Iraqi soldiers are involved in the search for the men, who vanished after an ambush on Saturday. The Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group of militants led by al-Qaeda, has said it is holding the soldiers.
Four US troops and an Iraqi interpreter were killed in Saturday's attack in the town of Mahmudiya, south of Baghdad. In an unverified statement posted on an Islamist website, the militant group claiming to hold the soldiers told the US: "If you want them safe, do not search for them."
Some 170,000 leaflets offering the reward of up to 250m Iraqi dinars have been distributed in the Mahmudiya area, the US military said. The four names in question are Sergeant Anthony Schober, 23, of Nevada, Specialist Alex Jiminez, 24, of Massachusetts, Private Joseph Anzack, 20, of California and Private Byron Fouty, 19, of Michigan.
Four US troops and an Iraqi interpreter were killed in Saturday's attack in the town of Mahmudiya, south of Baghdad. In an unverified statement posted on an Islamist website, the militant group claiming to hold the soldiers told the US: "If you want them safe, do not search for them."
Some 170,000 leaflets offering the reward of up to 250m Iraqi dinars have been distributed in the Mahmudiya area, the US military said. The four names in question are Sergeant Anthony Schober, 23, of Nevada, Specialist Alex Jiminez, 24, of Massachusetts, Private Joseph Anzack, 20, of California and Private Byron Fouty, 19, of Michigan.
About 4,000 US troops and 2,000 Iraqi troops have been searching the area where the ambush happened, known as the Triangle of Death because attacks by insurgents are so common, for the past four days. The US military has said it has "highly credible intelligence information" that the missing soldiers were abducted "by terrorists belonging to al-Qaeda or an affiliated group".
Major General Rick Lynch told the Associated Press news agency that he remained optimistic the three men would be found alive. "We're pursuing all intelligence," he told AP. "Some of those leads tell us that the soldiers have been taken out of the area but the majority tell us that they're still in the area." Last year, two American soldiers were kidnapped in the same area - their bodies were found several days later.
Major General Rick Lynch told the Associated Press news agency that he remained optimistic the three men would be found alive. "We're pursuing all intelligence," he told AP. "Some of those leads tell us that the soldiers have been taken out of the area but the majority tell us that they're still in the area." Last year, two American soldiers were kidnapped in the same area - their bodies were found several days later.
Labels: Islamic State of Iraq, Mahmoudiya, Major General Rick Lynch, Missing U.S. troops, reward
