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U.S. launches major offensive in Iraq
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-05 15:56
Iraq was relatively quiet Friday as the majority Shiite Muslim community
began celebrating the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the holy month of
Ramadan. Sunnis began the three-day holiday Thursday.
Still, the country was not free of violence.
Insurgents fired mortars at an Iraqi police checkpoint near Buhriz, a Sunni
Arab stronghold 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, then stormed the position firing
from eight vehicles, police said. Six policemen were killed and 10 were wounded,
according to officials.
Five Interior Ministry commandos died when a roadside bomb exploded close to
their convoy near Tuz Khormato, 130 miles north of Baghdad, police Brig. Gen.
Sarhad Qadir said. Four commandos were wounded.
Two U.S. soldiers with Task Force Baghdad were killed —
one on Thursday when a roadside bomb exploded near his convoy and one on Friday
by small-arms fire, the military said. Another soldier died Thursday near Talil,
170 miles southeast of Baghdad, apparently of non-hostile causes, the military
said. The deaths brought to 2,043 the number of U.S. military service members
who have died since the war began in 2003, according to an Associated Press
count.
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