NEWS: Syrian Border Action Intensifies as U.S Operation Matador Continues, page 1

posted on May, 13 2005 @ 07:12 AM

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Hundreds of U.S Troops have stormed villages and U.S Fighter Jets have flattened a safehouse near the Syrian border as the hunt for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his followers intensifies. Operation matador is designed to clear the area of insurgents using the region as a haven for Syrian fighter jets coming over the border. Officials have reported that the targets have either left the area or gone into hiding and it is believed the US met little resistance.

news.yahoo.com
Villagers reached by telephone Friday said gunmen still roamed some areas and they continued to receive U.S. shelling.

The U.S. offensive — one of the largest since militants were forces from Fallujah six months ago — comes amid a surge of militant attacks that have killed more than 420 people in just over two weeks since Iraq's first democratically elected government was announced.

A car bomb exploded in a jammed commercial district of the capital Thursday, setting cars, shops and restaurants ablaze in the most deadly of a string of attacks that killed 21 and injured more than 90. Iraqis expressed growing fury at the relentless bloodshed, throwing stones at police and U.S. forces who responded to the bombing that killed 17 Iraqis and injured 81

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Reports by telephone in the village of Saadah from villagers say the US is still shelling their village and most people in the area have fled into the desert. One man told AP reporters that the US forces had destroyed cities and houses and killed their children.

US Officials have denied claims that areas involved are without electricity and other basic needs like running water. Officials have said that five marines have been killed since the beginning of the operation and claimed that over 100 insurgents have been killed.

[edit on 13-5-2005 by Mayet]

Vampcrow

posted on May, 13 2005 @ 10:11 AM

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It seems to me that things are getting worse in Iraq(thats an understatment). Is there any hope for the Iraqi people? This month alone there has been an increase in bloodshed. Can this enemy be beaten? Will our troops ever be able to leave?

Hellmutt

posted on May, 13 2005 @ 06:39 PM

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BBC: 'Thousands' flee fighting in Iraq

Thousands of Iraqis have fled fighting between US troops and insurgents in the west of the country, aid workers say.

The US military has said it believes that insurgents shifted to the area after the attack on former bases in Falluja last year.

An Associated Press correspondent in the town of Qaim said heavily-armed fighters still controlled the streets.

"We are trying to protect our city's entrances, and we will prevent the US forces from entering the city," one insurgent was reported as saying

DeltaChaos

posted on May, 13 2005 @ 06:51 PM

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Is this Operation Matador really all about capturing or killing Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi? Is he the real reason we're still there? If he wasn't, would there still be good reason? Is Al-Zarqawi really leading the brunt of the resistance?

Once we catch him, will the resistance stop? Probably not. Do we really want to catch him, or would we rather him continue to exist in his present capacity just to give us all the more reason to move and fight in divers places?