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Northern Iraq Citizens Fleeing in Fear of Impending War
Aired March 19, 2003 - 14:34 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: And war preparations are under way in Northern Iraq. Citizens concerned about Iraqi retaliation are fleeing the cities in that region. Our Brent Sadler is in the provincial capital of Erbil with more on that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the final hours before the expiration of President Bush's deadline we've seen some movements, change in status along the Iraqi front lines not far away from the provincial town of Erbil here in Northern Iraq.
This was the scene earlier today when we saw Iraqis bring up a bulldozer, starting to build a barricade at the Iraqi end, Iraqi soldiers' end of a bridge across into Mosul. This is one of the main arterial roads to Mosul, Iraq's second largest city. Soldiers clearly there making a token gesture, according to Kurdish sources here, to block off that road.
Now at the same time the Iraqis were making those sorts of movements, the people in the Kurdish enclave have been moving in their tens of thousands away from the population centers, really getting to safer areas deeper into the countryside.
Now, we also suspect that there will now be no northern invasion, no northern front, if you like. Instead, we do expect, if a vote is positive from the Turkish parliament about U.S. use of air space, for an airfield at Herera (ph), which is about 1 1/2 hours' drive from the nearest Iraqi front lines for an air base at Herera to become a very important staging post for U.S. forces. Probably 101st Airborne Division and Special Force troops really coming here several thousand strong.
According to Kurdish military commanders, they will come in here, work with the Kurds to both stabilize the area and of course try and make sure that the Iraqi army doesn't try to detonate the suspected charges that have been put around Kirkik's oil wells.
So very important developments there as far as the Kurdish military is concerned. They have agreed to put their Kurdish fighters, about 70,000, under the command U.S. forces. As yet, no substantial numbers of U.S. military personnel in Northern Iraq, but that is expected to change in the very near future.
Brent Sadler, CNN, Erbil, Northern Iraq. (END VIDEOTAPE)
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 March 19, 2003 - 14:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And war preparations are under way in Northern Iraq. Citizens concerned about Iraqi retaliation are fleeing the cities in that region. Our Brent Sadler is in the provincial capital of Erbil with more on that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the final hours before the expiration of President Bush's deadline we've seen some movements, change in status along the Iraqi front lines not far away from the provincial town of Erbil here in Northern Iraq.
This was the scene earlier today when we saw Iraqis bring up a bulldozer, starting to build a barricade at the Iraqi end, Iraqi soldiers' end of a bridge across into Mosul. This is one of the main arterial roads to Mosul, Iraq's second largest city. Soldiers clearly there making a token gesture, according to Kurdish sources here, to block off that road.
Now at the same time the Iraqis were making those sorts of movements, the people in the Kurdish enclave have been moving in their tens of thousands away from the population centers, really getting to safer areas deeper into the countryside.
Now, we also suspect that there will now be no northern invasion, no northern front, if you like. Instead, we do expect, if a vote is positive from the Turkish parliament about U.S. use of air space, for an airfield at Herera (ph), which is about 1 1/2 hours' drive from the nearest Iraqi front lines for an air base at Herera to become a very important staging post for U.S. forces. Probably 101st Airborne Division and Special Force troops really coming here several thousand strong.
According to Kurdish military commanders, they will come in here, work with the Kurds to both stabilize the area and of course try and make sure that the Iraqi army doesn't try to detonate the suspected charges that have been put around Kirkik's oil wells.
So very important developments there as far as the Kurdish military is concerned. They have agreed to put their Kurdish fighters, about 70,000, under the command U.S. forces. As yet, no substantial numbers of U.S. military personnel in Northern Iraq, but that is expected to change in the very near future.
Brent Sadler, CNN, Erbil, Northern Iraq. (END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
