IRAQ: KURDISH PESHMURGA FIGHTERS MOVE FURTHER TOWARDS KIRKUK / MONUMENT TO SADDAM HUSSEIN DESTROYED

Record ID: 208382

  • Title: IRAQ: KURDISH PESHMURGA FIGHTERS MOVE FURTHER TOWARDS KIRKUK / MONUMENT TO SADDAM HUSSEIN DESTROYED
  • Date: 28th March 2003
  • Summary: (W6) NR TAHADI CHECKPOINT, ROAD TO KIRKUK, NORTHERN IRAQ (MARCH 28, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV PESHMERGA FIGHTERS ONE KILOMETRE PAST TAHADI CHECKPOINT ON ROAD TO KIRKUK SURROUNDING MILITARY TRUCK AND COLLECTING WEAPONS 0.18 2. SLV FIGHTERS STANDING IN ROAD WITH WEAPONS 0.25 3. SLV MILITARY TRUCK DRIVING PAST WITH FIGHTERS AND MACHINE GUN 0.32 4. SCU SOUNDBITE (Kurdish with English translation) COMMANDER MAM ROSTUM SAYING "We are very happy for what happened, Iraqi troops withdrew to what they called the security circle of Kirkuk." 0.44 5. SLV GROUP OF PESHMURGA FIGHTERS 0.49 7. SMV PESHMURGA FIGHTERS WEARING TURBAN HEADDRESSES 0.55 8. SLV FIGHTERS SEATED ON HILLSIDE 1.02 9. SMV MAN SEATED WITH SHOULDER FIRED ROCKET LAUNCHER IN BACKGROUND 1.07 10. VARIOUS, ARMED MEN IN CAR DRIVING FROM TAHADI CHECKPOINT TO QARAHANJEER 20 KM OUTSIDE KIRKUK - A KURDISH TOWN ABANDONED IN 1987 WHEN IRAQI TROOPS PUSHED THE MAINLY KURDISH POPULATION AWAY FROM THE TOWN AND SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN USED BY IRAQI MILITARY 1.15 (W6) QARAHANJEER, NORTHERN IRAQ (MARCH 28, 2003) (REUTERS) 11. SLV OF TOWN AND FLAT TOPPED HOUSES WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN'S PORTRAIT ON WALL OF HOUSE 1.20 12. CLOSE OF SADDAM'S PORTRAIT 1.26 13. SLV MAN GETTING INTO A BULLDOZER AND STARTING ENGINE/ CLOSE OF MAN IN CAB OF VEHICLE 1.51 14. SLV BULLDOZER CRUSHING MONUMENT TO SADDAM, MONUMENT FALLING (AUDIO SOUND OF CHEERING) 2.06 15. CLOSE OF SADDAM MONUMENT ON THE GROUND/ PAN UP TO PEOPLE STANDING AROUND 2.14 16. SCU UNIDENTIFIED MAN SPEAKING (NO TRANSCRIPT) 2.22 17. WIDE OF VILLAGE 2.27 18. LV OF HILLSIDE/ AREA 2.33 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th April 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEAR TAHADI CHECKPOINT ON ROAD TO KIRKUK, AND QARAHANJEER, NORTHERN IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA5WFLXDE49QYUZ5MT500X2J9PH
  • Story Text: Kurdish Peshmerga have moved further into Northern Iraq
    towards Kirkuk destroying pictures and monuments dedicated to
    Saddam Hussein.



    Kurdish Peshmerga moved further from their lines into
    Northern Iraq heading towards the town of Kirkuk. Iraqi troops
    in the region pulled back to the northern oil hub of Kirkuk on
    Thursday (March 27, 2003). Kurdish fighters crossed the former Iraqi
    front-line on Friday (March 28) morning heading to towards the
    hills surrounding Kirkuk.

    After crossing the Tahadi check point the Peshmerga
    travelled unhindered down the road to Qarahanjeer a former
    Kurdish town abandoned in 1987. Since then the town has been
    used by the Iraqi military. The Kurds entered the once again
    abandoned town and started pulling down monuments and pictures
    of Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein. To the sound of cheers the
    Peshmerga smashed monuments using bulldozers.

    Oil rich Kirkuk is said to be of huge strategic importance
    in the U.S. led assault to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The
    United States has landed more than one thousand paratroopers
    in northern Iraq in recent days in what is seen as the opening
    of a new front against Saddam Hussein's regime. The military
    significance of the Iraqi retreat is unclear. No clashes were
    involved and Peshmerga commanders have vowed not to launch an
    offensive of their own on either of the northern cities of
    Kirkuk or Mosul.

    The area has been regularly bombed by British and U.S.

    forces since the conflict began.


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