IRAQ: 14 dead in U.S. airstrike on stronghold of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army in western Baghdad, police say

Record ID: 338610

  • Title: IRAQ: 14 dead in U.S. airstrike on stronghold of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army in western Baghdad, police say
  • Date: 6th September 2007
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF PEOPLE NEAR RUBBLE DAMAGED HOUSE/ DAMAGED BELONGINGS IN RUBBLE RUBBLE/ DAMAGED FURNITURE
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAE48GCP1ITZKC4MGVERWAYN1OE
  • Story Text: A U.S. airstrike on a Baghdad neighbourhood overnight on Thursday (September 6) killed 14 people and demolished several houses, the police said on Thursday.
    U.S. military spokesmen could not immediately be reached for comment.
    Two police sources said the airstrike took place at about 3 a.m. (1100 GMT) in the Washash neighbourhood, a stronghold of Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia, in western Baghdad's Mansour district.
    Police said nine people were also wounded in the attack and one official said five houses had been destroyed.
    Witness Abu Talib said "We do not know why they bombed us. This is the house that they bombed (points). We do not know why they bombed us. Do we have tanks, artillery here? Their planes bombed us."
    The U.S. military has launched a series of operations, including air strikes against what it calls rogue elements of the Mehdi Army. It says many of these "special groups" have links to Iran, which it says is supplying weapons and training, a charge Tehran denies.
    Sadr last week ordered the Mehdi Army to suspend its operations for six months in what was seen as a move to restore his authority over the militia, which U.S. officials say has fractured into splinter groups that do not obey him.
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