7 injured in US-UK airstrikes on Iraq: Saddam’s son warns Iran
BAGHDAD, July 13: US and British air raids on civilian targets wounded seven Iraqis on Saturday in southern Iraq, an Iraqi air defence spokesman said, quoted by the state’s INA news agency.
“Seven Iraqi citizens were wounded in enemy raids on civilian installations in the Zi Qar region” which lies about 375 kilometres south of Baghdad, the spokesman said.
“The Americans and British have committed another crime against the... Iraqi people,” he said.
The jets retreated to Kuwaiti and Saudi airspace after coming under Iraqi anti-aircraft fire, the spokesman said.
He added: “One of the enemy planes could have been grazed.”
Air raids on Iraq’s installations are an almost daily occurrence, with US and British warplanes overflying the no-fly-zone that was imposed on the northern and southern sections of Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War.
Meanwhile, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s eldest son Uday has warned Iran against taking advantage of any US military assault on Baghdad to launch its own attack.
In a statement handed to reporters on Saturday, Uday urged Iran not to repeat the harm he said it had sought to achieve during the 1991 Gulf War.
Baghdad accused Tehran of backing Shi’ite dissidents in southern Iraq who rebelled against the Baghdad government during the Gulf War, but Iraqi forces had quashed the rebellion.
“The Persians tried to harm us in 1991. They should understand that they wouldn’t able to annex even a foot of Iraqi land to their territory,” he said.
“The Persians should know that they are an important partner of the game,” Uday said in clear reference to Washington’s threat to oust the Iraqi government.
Speculation that the United States might attack Iraq to oust Saddam has intensified since talks aimed at sending UN arms inspectors back to Iraq broke down last week.
US President George W. Bush has said Washington would use “all tools” available to oust Saddam.
Iraq fears Iran may attack southern Iraqi provinces dominated by Shi’ite Muslims if Washington launches a military offensive.
Uday has blamed Iran for an assassination attempt on his life few years ago. Gunmen attacked and severely wounded Uday in Baghdad on December 12, 1996.
Ties between Baghdad and Tehran have improved since they fought the ruinous 1980-88 war. Iraq and Iran agreed to allow Iranian pilgrims to visit Shi’ite Muslim holy shrines in Iraq.
But relations are still strained over the release of remaining prisoners of war and because each country hosts rebels fighting to overthrow the neighbouring state’s government.
The Iraqi News Agency (INA), meanwhile, reported that Iraq had handed over to Iran 125 Iranian refugees.
INA said the refugees were the first group in series of hand overs that would take place according to an agreement reached by Baghdad and Tehran last month.
Baghdad had earlier said that it would hand to Iran some 138 refugees.
The agency said Iraq’s Foreign Minister Naji Sabri met Iranian foreign ministry undersecretary Mohammed Jawad Dhareef. “The minister stresses Iraq’s willingness to establish good and cooperative relations with Tehran,” INA said.—AFP
