Or so, that is what some Iraqi sources are saying. Then again, the Iraqis are claiming 30 dead bad guys & 27 detained, while the U.S. is sticking with a 7 detained figure. CENTCOM had announced this joint operation earlier today to finally put Haifa street under Iraqi control.

A propaganda video produced by insurgents had been released a few weeks ago about the "battle of Haifa strett", in which the jihadis pronounced victory.

Payback: aint she a bitch? Notice, in this AP report, the liberal use of the word Green Zone. While the underlying intent of the piece is to convey the message that: even this close to the heavily fortified Green Zone, anarchy reins; all I'm reading is: hey, I've been pretending I know what's going on in Iraq from my heavily guarded ass in the Green Zone and I finally got to see some action because, you know, it was kind of close to the Green Zone.

AP :

Apache attack helicopters buzzed past the tall buildings and radio towers, with several Humvees on the tree-lined street below. Gunfire rang in the background as shells fell, according to AP Television News footage.

Black smoke rose from the area, on the west bank of the Tigris River about one mile north of the Green Zone, site of the U.S. and British embassies as well as the Iraqi government headquarters. The clashes were the second major fighting to break out in the area in less than a month.

There were conflicting numbers of insurgents reported killed and captured in the fighting, which began before dawn. Iraq's Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari told The Associated Press 30 insurgents were killed and 27 were arrested, including four Egyptians and a Sudanese man.

The U.S. military said seven suspected insurgents were detained and rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank rounds and 155 mm artillery rounds were seized. The American statement did not mention deaths.

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers commenced a pre-planned security operation early this morning on Haifa Street, Jan. 24.
Soldiers with the 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, officers from the 5th Iraqi National Police Brigade and elements of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division began Operation Tomahawk Strike 11 on Haifa Street, conducting targeted raids to disrupt illegal militia activity and help restore Iraq security force control in the area.
The mission is not an operation designed to solely target Sunni insurgents, but rather aimed at rapidly isolating all active insurgents and gaining control of this key central Baghdad location. Reducing sectarian violence is vital in transitioning security to the Iraqi security forces and provides a safer living environment for Iraqi residents in the area.

Posted by: Rusty at 05:32 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
Post contains 486 words, total size 3 kb.