Gunbattle kills 14 in Iraq

Soldiers were looking for
Shiite extremists.

LOS ANGELES TIMES

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi and U.S. special forces waged a gunbattle here with alleged Shiite militia members early Thursday, leaving 14 Iraqis dead, nine injured and several houses in ruins, witnesses and U.S. military officials said.

North of the capital, thousands of joint forces began a sweep of suspected Sunni insurgent hide-outs, and in the western Anbar province, a U.S. presidential hopeful gave Iraqi leaders a pointed lesson in American history.

The violence in Baghdad began before dawn as soldiers searched the Washash neighborhood on the city’s west side. More than a dozen gunmen hidden on rooftops opened fire on the joint forces, U.S. military officials said.

The western side of the capital increasingly has come under the influence of radical anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al- Sadr. Al -Sadr last week announced that his Mahdi Army militia would temporarily halt hostilities, but later, his aides appeared to place conditions on the cease fire; as well, rogue elements allegedly have continued attacks on soldiers and police.

A spokesman for al- Sadr said the Iraqis killed and injured did not belong to the Mahdi Army. “The American airstrike was just to terrify innocent people,” said Sheik Salah Obeidi.

U.S. officials said the soldiers were seeking a group of Shiite extremists who were believed to be setting up makeshift roadblocks to extort residents and kill Sunni Muslims.

Witnesses said families escaping the summer heat were sleeping on rooftops when the shooting began after 2 a.m.

“We were faced with two difficult choices,” said a 35-year-old man on a roof with his children. “If we go downstairs we get killed. If we stay on the roof we get killed, as well. I finally went downstairs with my children because there was some protection at least.”

Air support

Soldiers on the ground were backed by aerial bombing in a fight that seemed to stretch nearly an hour, he said.

“We heard houses around us being bombed,” said the man, who said he was afraid to give his name. “It was one of the worst days of my life, and I can’t find any logical reason for what happened.”

No soldiers were injured, U.S. military officials said, and two buildings were destroyed. Witnesses said the destruction was more widespread.

An additional dozen bodies were found in various parts of Baghdad, police said. Some of the victims appeared to have been tortured.

In Kirkuk, three people were killed and four hurt in a drive-by shooting as they left a mosque after evening prayers.

U.S. military officials reported Thursday that six Iraqi insurgents were killed and an additional 25 suspects were arrested in Tarmiyah, 25 miles north of Baghdad. The men were killed after reportedly drawing their weapons first, the military said.

The violence occurred near where soldiers on Sunday discovered an improvised prison run by militants. Nine terrorists were held there.