Holy Askariyain Shrine desecrated in Samara battle

By: Ismail Zabeeh

HOLY CITY OF SAMARA, Iraq: Holy Shrine of Al-Imam Ali Naqi Al-Hady and Al-Imam Hassan Al-Askary (peace be upon them) in the holy city of Samara was desecrated Friday in clashes between gunmen centralized in the holy shrine surroundings and US forces, Karbala News reported.

The huge plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area around the holy shrine as the fire was traded.

Al-Imam Ali Al-Hady and Al-Imam Hassan Al-Askary (peace be upon them) are the tenth and eleventh infallible descendants of holy Prophet Muhammad bin Abdellah (peace be upon him & his pure progeny).

At least 109 gunmen were killed and 180 injured during clashes that flared in the city centre around the Imamain Askariyain shrine, the US military said.

Maj. Neal O'Brien, a spokesman for the first infantry Division, said the shrine was not damaged and Iraqi forces had secured the site.

“Coalition forces and Iraqi security forces will do everything possible to protect the valuable site from damage,” he said.

About 2,500 US soldiers from five 1st Infantry Division battalions and 1,000 Iraqi army and national guardsman stormed the holy city before dawn on Friday. Tanks rumbled in the streets and AC-130 gunships roared overhead.

By mid-day, US forces were posted at the city hall and police stations, while Iraqi troops were in full control of religious and cultural sites including the famous spiraling Al-Malwiya mosque, built in the 9th century AD on Samara's outskirts.

The attack was aimed at reclaiming one of the insurgent-held areas ahead of nationwide parliamentary elections planned for January.

US soldiers freed a Turk being held captive in the city where gunmen regularly ambush drivers on the road passing Samara.

Violence initially flared Thursday night when US soldiers spotted three speed boats unloading explosives on the bank of the Tigris river at 6:09 pm (1509 GMT), said Master Sergeant Robert Powell. A gunfight ensued and several insurgents were killed.

After midnight, US troops moved into the heart of the city and fighting raged. Insurgents fired off mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenades, while US troops pounded their positions.

The governor of Salahuddin province, where Samara is located, had said Thursday that local Iraqi officials were close to brokering an Americans return to Samara, while the leader of a Samara political association was also stunned by the offensive.

“We were in talks with Prime Minister Iyad Allawi about the situation in Samara including reaching an agreement to allow Iraqi forces to enter the city. We were surprised by this military offensive,” said Khaled Naji As-Samarai.

It was not known if the push into Samara represented the start of a larger campaign to retake several cities that insurgents have rendered “no-go” zones for US and Iraqi troops. Officials have said that recapturing those cities is key before nationwide elections scheduled for the end of January.

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