03-02-2004, 04:20
Al Jazeera Satellite Channel
"We are in Baghdad today, the 3rd of Tuesday. We were awaken at about three o'clock in the morning by Ministry of Information members who told us a conference would be held in one hour. We went to the conference to find out that Iraqi forces have entered both the Northern Kurdish Autonomous zone and the Southern Shi'ite Autonomous zone."
"According to Minister of Information Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, Iraqi forces comprimising the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Army Corps have entered the Kurdish region after reaching an agreement with both the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the two largest parties in the north."
"In the south, the 3rd 'Fast Assault' Corps of the Republican Guard, with the 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Army Corps have pushed into the south with limited resistance from Shi'ite rebels. He reports that they have taken the border cities of Al Hillah and An Najaf and are on the outskirts of Ad Diwaniyah in the western part of the south, and have taken control of the city of Al Hayy, just south of Al Qut."
"He said that forces had crossed into both zones at approximately 12:00 AM local time."
"We will continue to bring information about these events. We are preparing to send a team both into the north and two into the south to see what is happening."
"This is Saami Ahmed, Al Jazeera from Baghdad."
"We are in Baghdad today, the 3rd of Tuesday. We were awaken at about three o'clock in the morning by Ministry of Information members who told us a conference would be held in one hour. We went to the conference to find out that Iraqi forces have entered both the Northern Kurdish Autonomous zone and the Southern Shi'ite Autonomous zone."
"According to Minister of Information Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, Iraqi forces comprimising the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Army Corps have entered the Kurdish region after reaching an agreement with both the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the two largest parties in the north."
"In the south, the 3rd 'Fast Assault' Corps of the Republican Guard, with the 2nd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Army Corps have pushed into the south with limited resistance from Shi'ite rebels. He reports that they have taken the border cities of Al Hillah and An Najaf and are on the outskirts of Ad Diwaniyah in the western part of the south, and have taken control of the city of Al Hayy, just south of Al Qut."
"He said that forces had crossed into both zones at approximately 12:00 AM local time."
"We will continue to bring information about these events. We are preparing to send a team both into the north and two into the south to see what is happening."
"This is Saami Ahmed, Al Jazeera from Baghdad."