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US, Iraq forces launch operation against Al Qaida

By Xinhua

Baghdad : The US and Iraqi forces have launched a new offensive Tuesday against Al Qaida militants in Iraq, the US military said.

The offensive, dubbed “Phantom Phoenix”, is a series of operations aimed at pursuing and neutralising Al Qaida and other extremist insurgents, a military statement quoted Lieutenant General Ray Odierno of the US forces in Iraq as saying.

” ‘Phantom Phoenix’ will synchronise lethal and non-lethal effects to exploit the recent security gains and disrupt terrorist support zones, enemy command and control,” Odierno, the number two commander of the US forces in Iraq, said without identifying the location of the operation.

He said his troops were determined not to allow the insurgent groups to “have respite anywhere in Iraq”.

The statement said that the non-lethal aspects of the operation were to improve the “delivery of essential services, economic development and local governance capacity”.