- Title: IRAQ: U.S. FORCES HEAD FOR NAJAF TO OVERSEE WITHDRAWAL OF SPANISH TROOPS.
- Date: 26th April 2004
- Summary: (U4) NAJAF, IRAQ (APRIL 26, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. LV/GV: REAR VIEW OF U.S. CONVOY DRIVING BY SAND ROAD IN NAJAF; HUMVEES DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD; CLOSE-UP OF HUMVEE AND MILITARY TRUCK DRIVING TOWARDS SPANISH BASE IN NAJAF CITY; U.S. CONVOY ON ROAD (4 SHOTS) 0.45 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 11th May 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NAJAF, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA421L6MPA3JZPIS9LELO4GCYN5
- Story Text: U.S. forces enter Najaf to protect Spanish troops
set to withdraw from the city, where rebel Shi'ite cleric
Moqtada al_Sadr is holed up.
U.S. forces entered Najaf on Monday (April 26) to
protect Spanish troops set to withdraw from the holy city,
where rebel Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is holed up with
his militia.
"This is not an offensive operation," Colonel Pat
White, commander of the 2nd battalion 37th armoured
regiment, told reporters.
About 200 U.S. troops had entered the southern city to
cover the withdrawal of the troops from Spain, which is
pulling out of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, he said.
The U.S. forces would move into a compound occupied by
the Spanish troops, who guard the headquarters of the
U.S.-led governing authority in the city, 160 km (100
miles) south of Baghdad, he said.
"We are moving in so that the compound is not left
empty and to help the Spanish safely move out," White said.
The Spanish troops were expected to leave the city
within days, he said.
U.S. forces have vowed to kill or capture rebel Sadr,
who has spearheaded an uprising against the U.S.-led
occupation by his Mehdi Army militia and supporters.
It was the first time U.S. forces had entered Najaf
since setting up a cordon around the city earlier this
month which they said they would not cross.
Sadr is wanted in connection with the murder of a
moderate Iraqi cleric.
New Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero
said this month Madrid would withdraw its 1,400 troops from
Iraq as soon as possible, fulfilling a pledge he made
before his election last month.
Spain was one of the strongest advocates of the
U.S.-led war to oust Saddam Hussein. Honduras and the
Dominican Republic have also said they would withdraw their
troops from Iraq.
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