Allies bomb air defence sites in southern Iraq

Allied planes bombed two military air defence sites in Iraq’s southern no-fly zone today in the third round of strikes in a week.

It was the 52nd day this year that air strikes were reported by the Anglo-American coalition, which patrols the two zones set up to protect Iraqi minorities after the 1991 Gulf War.

Precision-guided weapons were used against an air defence communications facility near Al Jarrah, 90 miles southeast of Baghdad, and an air defence operations centre near Tallil, 160 miles southeast of the capital, US Central Command said.

The strikes were launched after Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles at coalition aircraft on patrol, the officials said, adding that damage assessment was incomplete.

Iraq considers the patrols a violation of its sovereignty and frequently shoots at the patrols. In response, coalition pilots try to bomb Iraqi air defences.

The hostilities have been going on for years but are being watched more closely since President George Bush has vowed to remove Saddam Hussein from power.

The Pentagon has also changed its targeting in recent months – not necessarily hitting back at facilities from which the hostilities originate, but instead striking at targets that will do the most to cripple Iraq air defences.

Allied aircraft yesterday targeted other parts of the air defence system after coming under fire from sites northeast of Mosul, US officials said.

According to US figures, the latest strike made today the 40th day this year that there has been a coalition bombing in the southern zone set up to protect Shiite Muslims.

There have been 12 days this year on which Anglo-American forces struck in the northern zone, set up to protect the Kurdish population.