DATE=4/2/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-247566
TITLE=IRAQ AIRSTRIKES (L/S VER)
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 


INTRO:  IRAQ SAYS TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED FRIDAY WHEN U-S AND 
BRITISH AIRCRAFT BOMBED THE SO-CALLED "NO-FLY" ZONE IN SOUTHERN 
IRAQ.  FROM CAIRO, LISA BRYANT REPORTS.

TEXT:  THE OFFICIAL IRAQI NEWS AGENCY SAID ALLIED AIRCRAFT 
DESTROYED TWO HOUSES AND INJURED TWO PEOPLE AFTER DOZENS OF 
SORTIES ORIGINATING FROM KUWAITI AND SAUDI AIRSPACE.

THE NEWS AGENCY, QUOTING AN IRAQI MILITARY SPOKESMAN, SAID THE 
AIRCRAFT BOMBED RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN THE SOUTHERN IRAQI PROVINCE 
OF QADISSIYA FRIDAY MORNING. THE AREA, MORE THAN 200 KILOMETERS 
SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, FALLS WITHIN ONE OF TWO NO-FLY ZONES SET UP IN 
IRAQ AFTER THE 1991 GULF WAR.

///REST OPT FOR LONG///

THE BAGHDAD GOVERNMENT SAYS THE U-S AND BRITISH AIRCRAFT CARRIED 
OUT 18 SORTIES FROM KUWAIT AND 33 FROM SAUDI ARABIA. BESIDES 
TARGETING RESIDENTIAL AREAS, IT SAID. THE AIRCRAFT ALSO TARGETED 
SERVICE INSTALLATIONS AND WEAPONS SITES.

THE REPORTED AIRSTRIKES FOLLOW A LULL OF MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, 
DURING WHICH TIME WORLD ATTENTION HAS SHIFTED TO THE NATO STRIKES
ON YUGOSLAVIA.

ALLIED STRIKES ON IRAQ OCCURRED REGULARLY EARLIER THIS YEAR, 
AFTER THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN BOMBED BAGHDAD LAST DECEMBER.
U-N MONITORING AND INSPECTIONS OF POSSIBLE IRAQI WEAPONS SITES 
HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED SINCE LATE LAST YEAR.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, A UNITED NATIONS PANEL SAID WEAPONS 
INSPECTIONS ON IRAQ SHOULD RESUME UNDER A MONITORING PROGRAM. 
ANOTHER U-N PANEL CONCLUDED THAT IRAQ SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OBTAIN
FOREIGN OIL INVESTMENTS AND EXPORT AS MUCH OIL AS POSSIBLE UNDER 
THE U-N'S OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE COUNTRY'S 
MASSIVE POVERTY. (SIGNED)

NEB/LB/PCF/KL



02-Apr-99 12:03 PM EST (1703 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.