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U.S. Tanks Patrol Iraqi City After Ambush
TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) - U.S. tanks and armored fighting vehicles rumbled through Saddam Husseinâs hometown and its outskirts early Saturday in a show of force following a coordinated ambush against American forces that killed three soldiers and wounded two. Soldiers patrolled through Tikrit and the eastern banks of the Tigris river, site of a deadly attack Thursday by Saddam loyalists. The patrol began late Friday and ended early Saturday. Intended as a show of force, it was also an attempt to flush out pockets of armed resistance in the area.Finally. Stay for a while. "We took a tank company and a Bradley company," Lt. Col. Steve Russell, the 1st Battalion commander of the 4th Infantry Divisionâs 22nd Infantry Regiment, told The Associated Press. "We wanted to send a message." The U.S. troops usually patrol in smaller vehicles but this operation came after a series of attacks Thursday described by the military as some of the fiercest and best coordinated since American forces arrived in the Tikrit area in April. Fifty-eight Iraqis were captured after the attacks and U.S. troops seized a considerable number of weapons from a minivan fleeing the area, the military said. During the patrol, tanks swept through residential areas, occasionally dismounting to set up security points, to check cars and people leaving Tikrit after the cityâs 11 p.m. curfew. The patrol ended without incident. "We wanted to make contact with the enemy," Russell said. "If they want, weâll surely oblige him." Teach these folks not to mess with you, Steve Hey another Steve! Wotta great name! Posted by: Steve White 2003-09-20 |
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