Iraqi PM announces offensive in

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

BAGHDAD - Iraq's prime minister announced Friday that the government was launching a major offensive against al-Qaida in the northern city of Mosul after two days of deadly bombings that killed nearly 40 people.

He promised the fight "will be decisive."

The announcement by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki came after warnings by the U.S. military that Mosul was the last major city where al-Qaida maintains a strong presence after largely being driven from Baghdad and other major population centers.

Al-Maliki said the government was sending troops to Mosul and an operations room had been established to fight the insurgents.

~snip~

He did not say how many troops were being sent or provide more details in his wide-ranging speech, an apparent attempt to show his beleaguered administration was assuming control of the situation in Mosul with the U.S. military in the background.

Residents reported no immediate sign of stepped up security in the area and it was unclear when the offensive would begin.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080125/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[Swagman]

1. ohhh....another surge !

[underpants]

2. Iraq sends troops for 'decisive' battle with al Qaeda-CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/01/25/iraq.main/index.html

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq is sending troops for a "decisive" battle with al Qaeda in Iraq militants in Mosul -- one of the cities where the fighters remain strong -- Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Friday.


Extra police and soldiers are being deployed to the northern city to strip al Qaeda in Iraq of its sanctuaries and "incubators" there, Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf said.

Iraqi and U.S. forces have tackled the militants elsewhere in Iraq, but both admit it will be a hard fight in Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province hit by a massive blast Wednesday that killed 34 people.

Al-Maliki said the attack, which was followed the next day by the assassination of the province's police chief while inspecting the damage, drove him to order the crackdown.