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US flexes military muscle in central Baghdad
Baghdad, Nov 19: The US-led coalition called in air support against targets in central Baghdad late yesterday for the first time since its spring invasion, deafening the capital with repeated salvoes of aerial cannon fire as it pressed its new get-tough message.
Baghdad, Nov 19: The US-led coalition called in air support against targets in central Baghdad late yesterday for the first time since its spring invasion, deafening the capital with repeated salvoes of aerial cannon fire as it pressed its new get-tough message.
In one of a spate of barrages that punctured the evening festivities that normally characterise the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, nearly 40 separate rounds were audible across the city.
A US military spokesman said five separate locations from which mortar or rocket attacks had been launched on the coalition's sprawling, heavily fortified city centre administrative compound were targeted in the evening's raids.
"These targets were struck using an aerial platform with 105 mm cannon fire and 40 mm gunfire," the spokesman said without specifying whether the aircraft were fixed-wing or helicopters.
"These locations may be abandoned buildings, they may be overgrown.
"The coalition needs to make sure that its soldiers are safe and cannot be threatened by mortar and rocket attacks. When there is a known location the coalition needs to make sure that that location is not used again."
The spokesman said that to his knowledge no resistance had been put up to the US show of strength and no casualties had resulted.
Bureau Report
In one of a spate of barrages that punctured the evening festivities that normally characterise the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, nearly 40 separate rounds were audible across the city.
A US military spokesman said five separate locations from which mortar or rocket attacks had been launched on the coalition's sprawling, heavily fortified city centre administrative compound were targeted in the evening's raids.
"These targets were struck using an aerial platform with 105 mm cannon fire and 40 mm gunfire," the spokesman said without specifying whether the aircraft were fixed-wing or helicopters.
"These locations may be abandoned buildings, they may be overgrown.
"The coalition needs to make sure that its soldiers are safe and cannot be threatened by mortar and rocket attacks. When there is a known location the coalition needs to make sure that that location is not used again."
The spokesman said that to his knowledge no resistance had been put up to the US show of strength and no casualties had resulted.
Bureau Report