US, British Warplanes Raid Northern Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 31, 2002

US, British Warplanes Raid Northern Iraq

US and British warplanes bombed Iraqi air defense system on Wednesday in response to Iraqi anti-aircraft gunfire in the northern "no-fly" zone, the US military announced.

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US and British warplanes bombed Iraqi air defense system on Wednesday in response to Iraqi anti-aircraft gunfire in the northern "no-fly" zone, the US military announced.

"Iraqi forces threatened Operation Northern Watch (ONW) coalition aircraft today. Iraqi forces fired anti-aircraft weapons while ONW aircraft conducted routine enforcement of the northern no-fly zone," US European Command said in a statement.

"Coalition aircraft responded in self-defense to the Iraqi attacks by dropping precision guided munitions on elements of the Iraqi integrated air defense system. All coalition aircraft departed the area safely," the statement said.

US and British planes have been patrolling the two no-fly zones since the 1991 Gulf War with a claimed aim of protecting the Kurdsin the north and Shiite Muslims in the south from persecution of the Iraqi government.

Iraq does not recognize the air exclusion zones and has regularly opened fire at the Western planes enforcing the two no-fly zones.

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