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Raids in Tikrit

Aired September 29, 2003 - 10:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: First we check in on Iraq. In Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's ancestral home, about 200 Iraqi police officers joined forces with U.S. MPs to launch an overnight raid. The offensive is being called the largest ever joint effort to rout out members of the Fedayeen loyalists.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck is in Baghdad, and he has the latest.

Harris, hello.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

That particular raid that was led for the first time by members of the new Iraqi police force only netted four suspects whop were detained, but the U.S. is calling it a success, because they say it's the first time one of these raids is led by members of the new Iraqi police force. Again, about 200 members of the Iraqi police force, accompanied by U.S. soldiers, went into around 15 homes in downtown Tikrit. They were looking for members of Saddam's Fedayeen, who they believe are behind some of the attacks on U.S. soldiers.

Now in the last 24 hours or so, there have been several operations in the Tikrit area. Several people have been detained and also several stores of weapons and ammunitions have been found.

Now in Fallujah, which has been a troublespot for American soldiers, there was another incident. There was six soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division who was wounded when the convoy they were traveling in was hit by an improvised explosive device. We also have word of another incident in the town of Habineya (ph), where one U.S. soldier was killed and one was wounded when the car that they were traveling in was also hit by an improvised explosive device -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Harris, despite all this activity comes word that the curfew in Baghdad is going to be pushed back.

WHITBECK: That's correct. The coalition is saying that the curfew, which currently starts at 11:00 p.m., will now start at midnight and run for four hours from midnight to 4:00 a.m. Police say that this is a sign that the security situation in Baghdad is improving, but coalition authorities do say that they reserve the right to modify the hours of that curfew should the situation call for it.

KAGAN: Harris Whitbeck in Baghdad. Harris, thank you for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 29, 2003 - 10:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: First we check in on Iraq. In Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's ancestral home, about 200 Iraqi police officers joined forces with U.S. MPs to launch an overnight raid. The offensive is being called the largest ever joint effort to rout out members of the Fedayeen loyalists.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck is in Baghdad, and he has the latest.

Harris, hello.

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

That particular raid that was led for the first time by members of the new Iraqi police force only netted four suspects whop were detained, but the U.S. is calling it a success, because they say it's the first time one of these raids is led by members of the new Iraqi police force. Again, about 200 members of the Iraqi police force, accompanied by U.S. soldiers, went into around 15 homes in downtown Tikrit. They were looking for members of Saddam's Fedayeen, who they believe are behind some of the attacks on U.S. soldiers.

Now in the last 24 hours or so, there have been several operations in the Tikrit area. Several people have been detained and also several stores of weapons and ammunitions have been found.

Now in Fallujah, which has been a troublespot for American soldiers, there was another incident. There was six soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division who was wounded when the convoy they were traveling in was hit by an improvised explosive device. We also have word of another incident in the town of Habineya (ph), where one U.S. soldier was killed and one was wounded when the car that they were traveling in was also hit by an improvised explosive device -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Harris, despite all this activity comes word that the curfew in Baghdad is going to be pushed back.

WHITBECK: That's correct. The coalition is saying that the curfew, which currently starts at 11:00 p.m., will now start at midnight and run for four hours from midnight to 4:00 a.m. Police say that this is a sign that the security situation in Baghdad is improving, but coalition authorities do say that they reserve the right to modify the hours of that curfew should the situation call for it.

KAGAN: Harris Whitbeck in Baghdad. Harris, thank you for that.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com