BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a series of operations on Tuesday targeting al Qaeda in Iraq after an upsurge in suicide bombings which U.S. commanders say are an attempt by the militant group to reignite sectarian violence.
"Working closely with the Iraqi security forces, we will continue to pursue al Qaeda and other extremists wherever they attempt to take sanctuary," said Lieutenant-General Raymond Odierno, in a statement announcing the start of the offensive, dubbed Operation Phantom Phoenix.
In a later statement, the U.S. military said it had killed three militants and detained 28 suspects in operations in Baghdad, the area just south of the capital and the northern Diyala and Nineveh provinces on Monday and Tuesday.
Bill Roggio here. I noted General Odierno's announcement here. McClatchy's Iraq web site has nothing on the new operation. Is there a more worthless "Baghdad bureau" than McClatchy's?
UPDATE 1/10/08 9:42: Evidently McClatchy posted an article on the operation yesterday afternoon. Not impressive. In 2008, lateness is weakness.
