Iraqi PM announces offensive in [View All]

[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.

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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