Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

'Massive' al-Qaida clearing operation soon

|
|
 
  
Published: Feb. 21, 2008 at 9:06 PM

MOSUL, Iraq, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The Iraqi prime minister announced details of a massive effort to drive al-Qaida operatives out of the northern provinces.

The deputy governor of Ninawa province, Khasraw Goran, confirmed the security plans to "impose law" in Mosul and drive out insurgent elements, the Kurdish Globe reported Thursday.

"Because the situation in Mosul is different from the other Iraqi provinces, the campaign to rid it of gunmen requires massive effort and preparation," Goran said at a news briefing.

Iraqi officials said the 2nd and 3rd divisions of the Iraqi army, as well as Iraqi police and Kurdish forces, will carry out the operations.

Goran also stated that Baghdad plans to recruit some 6,000 police for roles in the Mosul operation, and all provincial ministers will be briefed on the situation.

Iraqi forces conducted several raids in the north alongside U.S. forces.

Several al-Qaida in Iraq suspects were detained by Iraqi forces this week, and the U.S. military reported that Iraqi special forces troops arrested a suspect in Mosul believed to be behind several roadside bomb attacks against Iraqi security forces in the area.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
Protesters, police clash at NATO summit Notable deaths of 2012 2012 Billboard Music Awards
The 137th Preakness Stakes Annual Solar eclipse occurs in U.S. Chen Guangcheng arrives in the U.S.
Additional Special Reports Stories
1 of 10
Bobby Brown performs on the NBC Today Show at Rockefeller Center in New York
View Caption
Bobby Brown performs on the NBC Today Show at Rockefeller Center in New York City on May 28, 2012. UPI/John Angelillo
fark
Survey indicates women enjoy the best sex of their lives when they reach 28, men at 33. After that,...
As one of the only folks wearing clothing in the nudist resort, Hodges was easily spotted by deputies...
If you have to cross the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on a regular basis, you probably should...
Anonymous resident of one of New York's trendiest neighborhood puts notes on light poles informing...
You know that sugar scrub you see offered on backpage? Turns out they are real things. Subby thought...
Semi hauling toilet paper tips over on highway. Fark puns taken off the endangered species list