Balad (Iraq), July 13: American forces have launched a fourth major offensive against insurgents in central Iraq in an effort to blunt expected attacks against US soldiers during upcoming holidays that mark major events in the history of Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath Party, military officials said. The Army's 4th Infantry Division launched Operation "Ivy Serpent" last night with a series of raids on suspected pro-Saddam holdouts, instituting aggressive checkpoints and sweeps through illegal weapons markets in the Baqouba and Balad on the Tigris River north of the capital.
"We're going offensive to disrupt potential attacks against US by Ba'athists and former fidayeen elements," said Colonel David Hogg, a commander of the 4th Infantry's 2nd Brigade. Since US President George W. Bush declared major combat over on May 1, 31 US soldiers have been killed by enemy forces and scores have been wounded in a series of hit-and-run mortar, rocket-propelled grenade and smalls-arms attacks.
Most have taken place in Baghdad and traditionally pro-Saddam Sunni Arab strongholds of central Iraq, known as the "Sunni triangle." US military officials have received intelligence reports - including letters addressed to community leaders urging attacks against Americans - indicating that pro-Saddam and Islamist insurgents plan to commemorate the July 14, 1958 anniversary of the overthrow of the Iraqi monarchy and the July 17, 1968 coup by Saddam's Ba'athist Party with spectacular anti-US actions. Bureau Report