Iraq said that it fired ground-to-air missiles on Tuesday at US and British fighter planes that were staging raids in the north and in the south of the country, forcing them to return to their bases.
Enemy planes that were carrying out raids in the (northern) provinces of Dahuk, Irbil and Nineveh were forced to flee to their base in turkey under fire from the missile batteries and anti-air defence units, a military spokesman told the official.
Other US and British fighters planes, who were carrying out raids in the south of the country were forced to flee to their bases in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, Also under fire, the spokesman said.
Almost daily clashes over Iraqi skies maintain tension at a high level 11 years after Washington led an international coalition that ejected Baghdad's forces from Kuwait.
Baghdad does not recognise the allied-imposed no-fly zones in the north and south of the country, which are not covered by any specific UN resolutions. It says raids since December 1998 have killed 366 and wounded 1,056.

Bureau Report