News From Iraq Night of January 12th 2007 Translated And Summarised From Arabic
These are the main security incidents reported this evening from Iraq by the Independent Iraqi News Agency Aswat Al Iraq translated and summarised from Arabic. Additionally I can now have confirmation from the team members resident in Iraq of the reports from Baghdad yesterday that the American army of occupation in Iraq is completing it’s preparations to besiege and assault Sadr city. Given their record of disregard for the lives of civilians during such operations all of us expect massive civilian casualties. In this context it is worth noting that both Generals Odierno and Petraeus have overseen such operations during their previous terms in Iraq.
Baghdad: Sadr City: American Preparations for Siege And Assault Confirmed
The reports yesterday in the Iraqi media such as the one below from WNA that American Army of occupation troops are attempting to encircle seal off Sadr city have now been confirmed by all the Gorilla’s Guides team members resident in Baghdad separately:
Eyewitnesses said that a joint American Iraqi forces imposed a security barricade on the Sadr City since early morning today, Tuesday.
The witnesses said to Iraqi National News Agency that the joint forces closed tight on the movement of incoming and outgoing of the city and demanded departures to leave their cars and to head out of the city on foot.
Joint forces did not explain the reason for these sudden measures.
The Sadr City, which is considered the stronghold of the Mahdi Army loyal to the Shiite leader Muqtada AL-Sadr, has in the past weeks witnessed a raid in search of gunmen believed to be the work of sectarian violence in Baghdad
Mohammed, Ali, Laith, and Omar all have now all confirmed this and similar reports separately by mail.
Karbala: One killed Two Wounded in Attack on Taxi
A father and son and their taxi driver came under attack by 3 gunmen who fired into the cab. 35 year old Hashim Saleh Hamad was killed instantly his son and the taxi driver [no details givem for either - mfi] were wounded . The motive for the attack is unknown.
Source: Aswat al Iraq
Mosul: Convoy of 4 Trucks Intercepted by Gunmen: Trucks Seized : Drivers Kidnapped
A convoy of 4 trucks was stopped and seized by gunmen near Mosul. The drivers all of whom are Turkish have been kidnapped.
Source: Aswat al Iraq
Hit: American Occupation Troops Attacked : Open Fire Indiscriminately
Eyewitness reports from Hit in Al Anbar. Say that American troops occupying the town came under fire and returned fire indiscriminately.
The death among civilians from yesterday’s indiscriminate firing by American troops occupying the town has now risen to three due to the death in hospital of one of the wounded.
Basrah: Detainees Released : British Occupation Bases Attacked
Two of the eight people detained by British occupation troops amid much fanfare and boasting a “terrorist cell” being smashed in Basrah have been released.
The 3 British base underwent the usual nightly shelling – with Katyusha rockets. Last night’s total was 19.
Source: Aswat al Iraq
Kut: US Occupation Warplanes Overflights
US Occupation forces overflew Kut repeatedly at low altitude during the day.
[Kut is relatively peaceful but since when did that ever stop the flyboys from heating things up? - markfromireland]
Source: Aswat al Iraq
Kut: Weapons Cache Seized
A cache of weaponry mostly light to medium firearms and some explosives have been seized during a search of the farming district north of Aziziyah.
Source: Aswat al Iraq
Ramadi: American Occupation Patrol Bombed
No reports of casualties. The bombing was just south of the stadium.
Source: Aswat al Iraq
Diwaniyah: 2 Grenade Attacks
The first attack was on a private residence. The second on a hair dressing salon. No casualties in either attack.
Source: Aswat al Iraq
Fallujah: Green Zone Government Base Attacked
Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version:
Falluja, Jan 12, (VOI) – An Iraqi army base was attacked on Friday in the restive Anbar’s city of Falluja, a police source said.
“Gunmen attacked today afternoon an Iraqi army base in eastern Falluja,” the source told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The source added “the gunmen fired RPGs at the base and then engaged in a 15-minutes-long fight with the soldiers there.”
“There were casualties among the base personnel,” the source added but declined to give a specific figure
Link to English Translation on Aswat al Iraq Source: Aswat al Iraq [Arabic]
Yusufiyah: Weapons Cache Seized 3 Detained
Green zone government police seized a quantity of arms, including an anti-aircraft machine gun, some ammunition, explosives, bomb making materials, and an RPG in a raid. Of the three detainees two are being held for possession of arms. The third is believed to be a coordinator.
Mosul : Former District Mayor Murdered
Aswat al Iraq have published an English translation of this report. There are no significant diffences between the English and Arabic versions. The text below is from the English version:
Ex-district mayor killed near Mosul
By Ibrahim Zannun
Mosul, Jan 12,(VOI) – The Iraqi police said on Friday unknown gunmen shot dead former mayor of Baaj district near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
“Gunmen shot and killed late last night former Baaj district mayor Ali Abdullah Fahd outside his house in Baaj, northwest of Mosul,” an official source at Ninewa police department told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The source added “the motive behind Fahd assassination was still unknown.”
In a separate incident, the source said, police patrols last night killed a gunman and arrested another after policemen chased and opened fire at the car the two gunmen were riding in.
“The incident occurred at al-Faysaliyah neighborhood in east of Mosul,” the source added.
“The patrols found a quantity of arms in the gunmen’s car,” he added.
Mosul is 402 km north of Baghdad.
Source: Aswat al Iraq [Arabic] Source: Aswat al Iraq [English]
See comments for news of teams members.
markfromireland
Site News: Team Members
I waited until 01:50 hours CET to put today’s posting up. I have now received the final confirmation by email that all male “Gorillas Guides” team members resident in
Have successfully completed the evacuation of:
This decision was made by them a long time ago in anticipation of the American escalation of the American war against the people of Iraq. All males of their families over the age of 16 have chosen to remain and attempt to protect their respective neighbourhoods.
God grant you continued courage and keep you safe.
إن الحياة عقيدة وجهاد
Mark
Amen to that
We’ll be holding you all in our hearts … it is good your families are safe and I will pray that you all remain so as well.
Since the media ignored this – wanted to pass along word that there were over 500 demonstrations throughout the US yesterday opposing Bush and his escalation.
Please check your mail
[...] Sadr City: American Preparations for Siege And Assault Confirmed Eyewitnesses said that a joint American Iraqi forces imposed a security barricade on the Sadr City since early morning today, Tuesday. The witnesses said to Iraqi National News Agency that the joint forces closed tight on the movement of incoming and outgoing of the city and demanded departures to leave their cars and to head out of the city on foot. (This is from a list of articles in Gorilla’s Guides, along with a report that American troops killed civilians when they fired indiscriminately after coming under fire in Hit, which is in the Anbar province. Also, Xinhau reports that dozen of bodies, some tortured, were found in Baghdad. It’s important to realize that because of conditions in Iraq, and space limitations, a substantial number of incidents are not reported in the Western media. In fact, observers inside Iraq say that many are not reported in any media. –g) [...]
That’s really good news that family members have been evacuated – I hope to God those left behind will be OK. We have had demonstrations on the West Coast too but I think we almost need to bring back the draft before we see massive demonstrations as in the Vietnam era – and I do have a draft age daughter so I do not make that statement lightly.
Mark:
Now linking to your site. Good luck and thank you for your work.
Yeah it is good news in a way but don’t miss the implications Grania – they’re getting their families out of the way because they expect a bloodbath and are preparing for it. You don’t send your kids and loved ones away to refugeee camps or to relatives you know are in dire poverty in winter unless you’re expecting massive violence.
I wish most fervently for the safety of you and your families, your countrymen and an end to this horrible and brutal occupation.
;(
Yeah I totally understand the reason for the evacuation and I didn’t mean for my comment not to convey this, I know that it’s with a very heavy heart that families are split up. The US (Marines in particular) have been gearing up for this assault for some time now
This reminds me of painful memories.
[...] I dread the coming bloodbath. So do the Iraqis – they know what’s coming next. It’s why the Iraqi contingent who post here evacuated their families once they’d confirmed the reports that American forces were sealing off Sadr city. Thank God they were on time to do that. [...]