Americans fight back in Iraq as Saddam tape urges more violence
American troops in Iraq have been carrying out operations on targets near Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit in their battle to tackle the growing numbers of attacks being carried out on allied troops.
Targets that the US troops believe have been used to fire mortars or rockets have been shelled in what is being seen as a change in tactics to match those of the insurgents.
Armoured vehicles and helicopters were also used last night to raid a Baghdad neighbourhood. It is the first time that force of this nature has been used since the war was declared over in April 2003.
This weekend an Arabic TV station broadcast an audiotape that it claimed was the voice of the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
The speaker called on Iraqis to step up resistance to the ‘occupation’ of their country.
“They thought, and made others think, they were going on a picnic to occupy Iraq and destroy their weapons of mass destruction. The evil ones now find themselves in a crisis and this is God’s will for them,” the voice declared.
The tape also encouraged attacks on those who help or work with the coalition forces.
