Rumsfeld begins visit in Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, December 07, 2003

Rumsfeld begins visit in Iraq

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld flew in Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk early Saturday amid an intensified confrontation between his troops and the alleged insurgents loyal to the former regime.

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US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld flew in Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk early Saturday amid an intensified confrontation between his troops and the alleged insurgents loyal to the former regime.

He arrived in rainy conditions aboard a US Air Force C-17 cargo plane that flew from Tbilisi, Georgia.

It was his third visit to the war-torn country after the US-led coalition forces swept former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power in April.

Unlike previous two trips starting from this capital city, his plane landed shortly after day-break in the oil hub of Kirkuk, about 280 km north of Baghdad, to avoid potential attacks.

His last two visits were harried with gunfire assault and missile attack although the attempts were both in vain.

After his arrival on Saturday morning, the hawkish official immediately met US troops deployed in the area.

He was briefed on the progress being made on quashing insurgency by Maj. Gen. Raymond Odiereno, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, troops controlling the vast area between Kirkuk and Baghdad.

The commander said that Iraqis were coming with more intelligence tips as the military stepped up efforts to root out

forces behind anti-US attacks.

Earlier this month, US troops conducted a massive search of resistance leaders including Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, the second figure of Saddam regime, in a small town south of Kirkuk.

The operation, based on intelligence provided by Iraqis, resulted in capture of an aide to al-Douri and more than 100

others.

Rumsfeld is due to travel to Baghdad later in the day to meet US civil administrator for Iraq Paul Bremer and other officials.

Rumsfeld has visited Afghanistan, another country invaded by US forces in the global war on terror, and Georgia in his latest tour.

On the ground, one more US soldier was killed along with at least three Iraqis in a fresh bomb attack on Friday, underscoring the insecurity that prevailed the country eight months after the occupation.

A total of 190 US soldiers have been killed by hostile fire since US President George W. Bush declared the major fighting over on May 1.

About 80 American military servicemen died in November alone, making it the deadliest month for the forces, which in turn launched more offensive operations to crack down on the hit-and-run guerillas.

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