DATE=9/29/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ (S)

NUMBER=2-308026

BYLINE=MICHAEL DRUDGE

DATELINE=BAGHDAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Iraqi police have joined U-S troops in their biggest coordinated operation, arresting about a dozen suspected Iraqi gunmen around the troubled northern town of Tikrit. Elsewhere, a bombing killed a U-S soldier and wounded one other outside Fallujah. V-O-A's Michael Drudge reports from Baghdad.

TEXT: The raids in the Tikrit region north of Baghdad involved about 200 Iraqi policemen backed by nearly 100 American troops.

They rounded up several suspected gunmen linked to deadly attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi security men.

A coalition military spokesman, Army Lieutenant Colonel George Krivo, said the operation was based on good intelligence.

/// KRIVO ACT ///

It was a very significant set of raids on actionable intelligence provided by Iraqis. It was precise, we went in and found what we wanted to find. Very effective, very well done.

/// END ACT ///

Meanwhile, a U-S Army convoy was hit by a homemade bomb in the western town of Habaniya, near Fallujah. Colonel Krivo said there were two American casualties in the blast and the fighting continued for some time. (SIGNED)

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