January 10, 2007

Fierce fighting engulfed central Baghdad yesterday as Iraqi forces, backed by American airpower, carried out assaults on resistance strongholds, raiding houses and exchanging fire with insurgents.

The sound of explosions boomed across the city throughout the day as Iraqi soldiers struggled to seize a cemetery used as a training ground and organising base by Sunni Muslim resistance groups. The cemetery lies next to Haifa Street, a notorious haven of insurgents loyal to the regime of Saddam Hussein.
advertisement.

Despite a series of bombing raids by fighter aircraft, plus missile strikes by attack helicopters, Iraqi soldiers and their US allies were unable to oust insurgent fighters.

The rebels retaliated with rocket-propelled grenades and mortars. Snipers on high floors of surrounding buildings also targeted soldiers.

The strongholds around Haifa Street lie half a mile from the Green Zone, which houses the Iraqi government, the American high command and diplomatic missions.

The area has witnessed repeated attempts by coalition forces to root out groups that have used it as a base to stage attacks since 2004. Residents said the cemetery was an important meeting place for insurgents, used to assemble bombs and train fighters.

A government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said soldiers from the 6th Division of the 1st Army Brigade were ordered to wipe out "terrorist hideouts" in the Haifa Street area. He estimated that 50 rebels had been killed and 11 "terrorists" were captured, including seven Syrian passport-holders.

Mr Dabbagh said: "This area should be cleaned very quickly to stop security deterioration. A large number of foreign Arabs are involved in these terrorist activities."

Fighting has steadily escalated around Haifa Street since Saturday when security forces surrounded the area after the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, announced an Iraqi-led security clampdown in the capital.

The US military said the targeted raids were launched to capture "multiple targets, disrupt insurgent activity and restore Iraqi Security Forces control of North Haifa Street."

A spokesman, Col Scott Bleichwehl, said: "This area has been subject to insurgent activity which has repeatedly disrupted Iraqi Security Force operations in central Baghdad."