American forces launched a "precision strike" yesterday on insurgents tied to Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the restive western Iraqi city of Fallujah, the US military said.
The military said in a statement sent to reporters that the attack was conducted in coordination with the Iraqi government.
"Based on multiple sources of intelligence, the attack targeted 10-12 terrorists with known ties to the Abu Musab al-Zarqawi network of foreign terrorists," the statement said.
"The anti-Iraqi forces were struck while in the courtyard of a house; the house was left intact," the statement added.
In what appeared to be the same incident, Kamal Al-Ani, of Fallujah hospital, said five civilians -- including three children -- were injured yesterday morning after an American warplane fired a missile that landed in the garden of a house in the Jubail neighborhood, south of Fallujah. The US military reported no casualties.
"We were sleeping in the morning when a US missile hit our house," said Saddam Jassim, the owner of the house targeted in the attack, said as he and his brother were clearing debris caused by the missile attack.
"We have nothing to do with resistance or al-Zarqawi. These are pretext used by US military to terrorize the people in Fallujah because US soldiers are unable to face the insurgents."
Meanwhile, interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said on Thursday that Iraq would like Arab and Islamic countries to contribute soldiers to a UN security contingent as well as the multinational force.
Allawi told reporters he had asked the Egypt to provide troops to protect UN staff when they return to Iraq, but Egyptian officials indicated that Iraq should first bring its insurgency under control.
The Egyptian response, the latest of repeated rebuffs, came a day after UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the world body had not received a single commitment of troops for an Iraqi operation.
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
CHIPS AND DEFENSE: Trump said the US had lost its chip business and Taipei should pay it for defense, and added that ‘we’re no different than an insurance company’ Taiwan-US relations are solid, and both sides are in agreement that peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region are everyone’s concern, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday following comments by former US president Donald Trump that Taiwan “should pay” for US defense. Taiwan is thankful to the US for supporting Taiwan’s bid to participate in international organizations, Cho told a news conference in Taipei. “I know the people very well, respect them greatly. They did take about 100 percent of our chip business,” Trump told Bloomberg on June 25 in an interview that was published on Tuesday. “I think
SHOW OF SUPPORT: Taiwan has been one of the largest buyers of US defense equipment, supporting American businesses and jobs, US lawmakers said Taiwan has been paying for its own defense, a US Department of State official said on Wednesday, adding that purchases of military equipment are important to the US economy and for ensuring regional security. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller was asked at a news conference about comments by former US president Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in November’s US presidential election, who said during an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek that Taiwan should pay Washington for its defense needs. “The purchases that they [Taiwan] have made not only are important, we believe, to regional security, but are important to the United States economy,”
Hsu Wen-erh (許汶而) on Friday became the first Taiwanese to swim solo across the English Channel, saying she was very happy to bring Taiwan to the world. Hsu completed the challenge in 12 hours, 17 minutes and eight seconds, after swimming across the Strait of Gibraltar in October last year. She said she had planned to swim the English Channel in August next year, but seized the opportunity when a vacancy became available on the waiting list. She went to the UK in May to train for a test that involves swimming for six hours at 16°C, which people who want to swim