Iraqi Information Minister Mohammad Saeed al-Sahaf said in Baghdad Wednesday that the US and British planes had struck mosques in religious city of Najaf. Al-Sahaf told a press conference that "aggressive" forces were screeching low over holy sites in Najaf and Karbala in an attempt to insult holy Imams. He said after their pullout from Najaf and Karbala on Tuesday night, the invading forces' planes are now flying low around tombs of Imam Ali (AS), Imam Hossein (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS). He added that the planes are flying in a low altitude to provoke public sentiments and insult people.
Or maybe to shoot up Baathists...
He claimed that Iraqi forces had on Tuesday night forced enemy out of Najaf and Karbala to deserts. The Miniter said coalition airstrikes on residential areas Tuesday night claimed lives of a number of civilians. He said Tuesday night air raids on provinces of Baghdad, Niniveh, Babylon, Muthana and Salaheddin left about 178 injured and 24 others killed. Moreover, al-Sahaf said the US and British forces had struck a historical monument, dating back to Summerian era. |