Iraq Says Western Planes Raid No-Fly Zones
Iraqi ground forces opened fire on Western aircraft which flew sorties over the northern and southern no-fly zones in Iraq Friday from bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey, an Iraqi military communique said.
The statement quoted by the Iraqi news agency did not report any casualties. Earlier, a US military official said US jets had fired two missiles at an Iraqi radar site in the northern no-fly zone.
It was the third time this week that Iraq had reported Western planes flying sorties in the northern no-fly zone and the second time, it said, they had violated its airspace in the south.
The Iraqi statement said 12 formations flew sorties from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait at 10 am (0700 GMT) in Basra, Muthanna and Dhi-Qar provinces. Iraqi air defenses opened fire on them and ``sent them fleeing to their dens of evil.''
The planes included F-14s, F-15s, and F-16s supported by early warning aircraft, it said.
The statement said 11 formations ``violated'' Iraqi airspace in the northern no-fly zone Friday morning from Turkey and fired two missiles. Iraq forces fired at the planes, it said.
WorldNews 1999-02-20 Page3
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