Post by Salem6 on Jan 9, 2004 10:31:49 GMT
Hundreds of US soldiers have carried out an overnight raid in Tikrit, home of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
The commanding officer said 13 people suspected of involvement in attacks on US-led coalition force were detained.
It was the company's third raid in Tikrit since June
However, no arms caches were reported found, and five people on the army's wanted list were not detained.
Early this morning, a hotel in Baghdad used by foreign contractors and businessmen was hit by rocket fire, but no one was hurt, hotel staff said.
Two rocket-propelled grenades hit the first and fourth floors of the Burj al-Hayat, according to staff.
On Thursday, two US military flights came under suspected hostile fire, with nine killed when a Black Hawk helicopter came down near Falluja.
Later, a C-5 transport plane was forced to return to Baghdad shortly after take-off, with hostile fire suspected.
The raid in Tikrit lasted five hours and was the third carried out by the Fourth Infantry Division since June.
"It was a good night," said Lieutenant Colonel Steven Russell. "Tikrit will be a safer place tomorrow as a result."
The troops found fake police identity cards, computer equipment used to make the cards and evidence of bomb-making equipment, Colonel Russell said.
'Hostile action'
The C-5, with 63 people on board, returned to Baghdad airport on Thursday after one of its engines started vibrating, US officials said.
The army raided houses in Tikrit
"The type of weapon and other details are unknown," the Air Mobility Command said in a statement.
"Initial reports indicate the incident is the result of hostile action from the ground," the statement from the US Air Force's Air Mobility Command said.
An unnamed official at the Pentagon had earlier said the plane had apparently been hit by a surface-to-air missile.
If this is the case, it would highlight continuing insecurity around Baghdad International Airport.
On 10 December, a US Air Force C-17 cargo and troop transport plane was hit by a surface-to-air missile after takeoff from Baghdad airport, but managed to land safely.
In November, a civilian Airbus operated by the DHL courier company was hit by a SAM-7 surface-to-air missile on take-off but managed to land safely.
Routine mission
The Black Hawk helicopter was on a medical evacuation mission when it came down near Falluja, according to military officials speaking on condition of anonymity.
Falluja is a hotbed of the Iraqi insurgency and has seen several clashes between local people and US troops.
It was also the scene of one of the worst helicopter crashes to date when 16 US soldiers were killed after their Chinook was shot down on 2 November.
US HELICOPTER CRASHES IN IRAQ
2 Jan - OH-58 Delta Kiowa Warrior shot down near Falluja - one soldier killed
15 Nov - Two Black Hawks crash in Mosul, at least 17 killed
7 Nov - Black Hawk shot down near Tikrit, six killed
2 Nov - Chinook shot down near Falluja, killing 16 US soldiers
25 Oct - Black Hawk crashes near Tikrit, reportedly hit by ground fire - soldier injured
Spokesman Brigadier General Mark Kimmit said he was unable to confirm whether the aircraft was involved in an evacuation at the time, describing its mission as "routine".
"There were no survivors," he told a news conference in Baghdad.
"There were nine personnel aboard the aircraft. We are working under the presumption that they are all American soldiers."
Troops have secured the crash site and an investigation is under way.
A witness told the Associated Press he had heard the whoosh of a rocket and saw it hit the helicopter's tail.
Several American helicopters have been targeted in recent months by guerrillas opposed to the US-led occupation of Iraq.
The Pentagon has reported the deaths of 346 American service personnel in Iraq since 1 May, when President George W Bush declared major combat over.
Video:-
The BBC's Caroline Hawley
"Another worrying development for the Americans as they try to win support among Iraqis"news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39718000/rm/_39718173_iraq22_hawley_vi.ram
The commanding officer said 13 people suspected of involvement in attacks on US-led coalition force were detained.
It was the company's third raid in Tikrit since June
However, no arms caches were reported found, and five people on the army's wanted list were not detained.
Early this morning, a hotel in Baghdad used by foreign contractors and businessmen was hit by rocket fire, but no one was hurt, hotel staff said.
Two rocket-propelled grenades hit the first and fourth floors of the Burj al-Hayat, according to staff.
On Thursday, two US military flights came under suspected hostile fire, with nine killed when a Black Hawk helicopter came down near Falluja.
Later, a C-5 transport plane was forced to return to Baghdad shortly after take-off, with hostile fire suspected.
The raid in Tikrit lasted five hours and was the third carried out by the Fourth Infantry Division since June.
"It was a good night," said Lieutenant Colonel Steven Russell. "Tikrit will be a safer place tomorrow as a result."
The troops found fake police identity cards, computer equipment used to make the cards and evidence of bomb-making equipment, Colonel Russell said.
'Hostile action'
The C-5, with 63 people on board, returned to Baghdad airport on Thursday after one of its engines started vibrating, US officials said.
The army raided houses in Tikrit
"The type of weapon and other details are unknown," the Air Mobility Command said in a statement.
"Initial reports indicate the incident is the result of hostile action from the ground," the statement from the US Air Force's Air Mobility Command said.
An unnamed official at the Pentagon had earlier said the plane had apparently been hit by a surface-to-air missile.
If this is the case, it would highlight continuing insecurity around Baghdad International Airport.
On 10 December, a US Air Force C-17 cargo and troop transport plane was hit by a surface-to-air missile after takeoff from Baghdad airport, but managed to land safely.
In November, a civilian Airbus operated by the DHL courier company was hit by a SAM-7 surface-to-air missile on take-off but managed to land safely.
Routine mission
The Black Hawk helicopter was on a medical evacuation mission when it came down near Falluja, according to military officials speaking on condition of anonymity.
Falluja is a hotbed of the Iraqi insurgency and has seen several clashes between local people and US troops.
It was also the scene of one of the worst helicopter crashes to date when 16 US soldiers were killed after their Chinook was shot down on 2 November.
US HELICOPTER CRASHES IN IRAQ
2 Jan - OH-58 Delta Kiowa Warrior shot down near Falluja - one soldier killed
15 Nov - Two Black Hawks crash in Mosul, at least 17 killed
7 Nov - Black Hawk shot down near Tikrit, six killed
2 Nov - Chinook shot down near Falluja, killing 16 US soldiers
25 Oct - Black Hawk crashes near Tikrit, reportedly hit by ground fire - soldier injured
Spokesman Brigadier General Mark Kimmit said he was unable to confirm whether the aircraft was involved in an evacuation at the time, describing its mission as "routine".
"There were no survivors," he told a news conference in Baghdad.
"There were nine personnel aboard the aircraft. We are working under the presumption that they are all American soldiers."
Troops have secured the crash site and an investigation is under way.
A witness told the Associated Press he had heard the whoosh of a rocket and saw it hit the helicopter's tail.
Several American helicopters have been targeted in recent months by guerrillas opposed to the US-led occupation of Iraq.
The Pentagon has reported the deaths of 346 American service personnel in Iraq since 1 May, when President George W Bush declared major combat over.
Video:-
The BBC's Caroline Hawley
"Another worrying development for the Americans as they try to win support among Iraqis"news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39718000/rm/_39718173_iraq22_hawley_vi.ram