Iraq summary 4/7/2004

[PfcHammer]

Wednesday, April 7

1. U.S. Marines fired a rocket and dropped a 500-pound, laser-guided bomb on a mosque compound. Witnesses said as many as 40 people were killed. The coalition was in control of about 25% of the city.

2. U.S. forces continued to hunt down members of radical Shiite cleric Moktada al Sadr's al-Mahdi Army in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood. The U.S. military's deputy head of operations vowed to "destroy" the militia.

3. Marines continued fighting Sunni insurgents along a one-mile front in Ramadi. Syrian mercenaries were believed to be involved in the battle.

4. Ukrainian forces were forced to evacuate Kut after clashes with al Sadr's al-Mahdi Army. At least 12 Iraqis were reported killed and 20 wounded.

5. Militiamen loyal to al Sadr clashed with Polish troops in Karbala, and an aide to the cleric reportedly was killed.

6. Residents of the northern town of Hawijah, near Kirkuk, clashed with U.S. troops. Eight Iraqis were killed, and 10 Iraqis and four Americans were wounded.

7. A U.S. OH-58 Kiowa helicopter made an emergency landing in Baqouba after it was hit by small arms fire. No one was hurt.