IRAQ: U.S. warplanes launch their biggest air strike in Iraq since at least 2006, bombarding date palm groves in Baghdad's southern outskirts

Record ID: 339158

  • Title: IRAQ: U.S. warplanes launch their biggest air strike in Iraq since at least 2006, bombarding date palm groves in Baghdad's southern outskirts
  • Date: 11th January 2008
  • Summary: (BN09) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 11, 2008) (POOL) (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ARMY COLONEL TERRY FERRELL, COMMANDER, 2ND BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM, 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION: "The goal is here to maintain a relentless pursuit on the enemy - on Al Qaeda- the extremists that are working in our specific battle space, to rid the area, to bring security not only to the Baghdad area but to
  • Embargoed: 26th January 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA4XQCFCUUWGYY6KQ78LAXJT8YX
  • Story Text: U.S. warplanes launched their biggest air strike in Iraq since at least 2006 on Thursday (January 10), bombarding date palm groves on Baghdad's southern outskirts with more than 40,000 pounds of bombs in a matter of minutes.
    Two B-1 bombers and four F-16 fighter jets struck more than 40 al Qaeda targets in three zones of Arab Jabour, a lush district just south of the capital that has become a haven for fighters driven out of other areas.

    "Two U.S. Airforce B-1B bombers and four F-16 fighters employed approximately four dozen precision guided direct attack munitions or "JDAMs" (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) on targets in the Arab Jabour area south of Baghdad. Positive effects were achieved and the strikes were a successful element of Operation Marne Thunderbolt," U.S. Air Force Colonel Peter Donnelly said at a news conference on Friday (January 11).
    The attack formed part of Operation Phantom Phoenix, a major countrywide offensive against al Qaeda guerrillas that U.S. forces announced this week.
    A U.S. forces spokesman said Thursday's air strike was the biggest in Iraq since at least 2006.
    Large-scale air strikes have been rare in Iraq, especially over the past few months when the intensity of military action tapered off as overall violence declined and U.S. commanders emphasized "hearts and minds"
    engagement with civilians.
    The operation launched this week shows a renewed determination by U.S.
    forces to use traditional combat power against a stubborn al Qaeda enemy that has not lost its ability to launch attacks despite being driven from most areas.

    "The goal is here to maintain a relentless pursuit on the enemy - on Al Qaeda- the extremists that are working in our specific battle space, to rid the area, to bring security not only to the Baghdad area but to south east Baghdad and the Arab Jabour region, so that the average Iraqi civilian can have a normal life," U.S. Army Colonel Terry Ferrell said.
    Colonel Ferrell is the Commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat team, 3rd Infantry Division, one of the divisions involved in the clearing operations on Thursday.

    "More than 50 targets were identified by the second brigade combat team in order to destroy known improvised explosive devices in cache locations. As part of the strike, we hit 47 of the planned targets, "
    U.S. Air Force Colonel Peter Donnelly said.
    Colonel Terry Ferrell explained further that the targets were "in built up areas, in palm groves, along river banks, in areas that the insurgents have used to hide and cache their supplies as they've worked the area." He added, "They've established a very deliberate defensive belt when you look throughout the region here so they could delay our movement or deny our movement in many ways preventing us to go through the area."
    Operation Phantom Phoenix has so far included a large-scale sweep in Diyala by thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops, and smaller operations across the North and Baghdad's outskirts.
    The U.S. military says al Qaeda Sunni Arab militants have been driven out of most of the territory they once held in Iraq, especially the West of the country and parts of Baghdad, and overall violence declined dramatically in the second half of 2007.
    But militants have regrouped in three provinces north of Baghdad and in palm groves on the capital's southern outskirts.
    Nine American soldiers were killed in 48 hours of the renewed offensive. Six American soldiers were killed on Wednesday by an explosion in a booby-trapped house in Diyala province, and three others were killed on Tuesday in Salahuddin province, two northern areas where U.S. forces say al Qaeda has regrouped.
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