Armies locked in vital battle after Iran push

Press, 9 February 1983, Page 8

Armies locked in vital battle after Iran push

NZPA-Reuter Bagdad Iraq and Iran are fighting what both have said might prove to be the decisive battle of their 29-month Gulf war after the start of a big new Iranian offensive.

Iraqi war communiques said that Iran had struck on Monday in pre-dawn darkness. throwing two divisions backed by tanks and Islamic Revolutionary Guards against the 4th Corps, which defends the border of Misan province, south-east of Bagdad.

The Iraquis said they have killed almost 7000 Iranians in a battlefield left strewn with corpses and dozens of blazing Iranian tanks as they crushed the first wave of the offensive.

Iraqi losses were not announced.

Teheran radio reported that a commuique issued by Iranian forces had said that sporadic firing in 24 hours had killed or wounded some Iraquis while others had been taken prisoner. On the evidence of past battles, the Iranians were expected to attack again today unless they pause to absorb an Iraqi counter-blow.

Pitched battles in the war between the two oil-pro-ducing States have tended to be a contest between Iranian human wave advances and

the firepower of Iraqi tanks, artillery, and fighterbombers.

Renewed fighting in the next day or two may disclose Iranian intentions. The battlefield appears to be northeast and east of Amarah. Misan’s capital. Iraq smashed into Iran when the war broke out in September. 1980. but last year fell back in defence of its own frontier. Iranian leaders have called for the overthrow of the Arab Baath Socialist Party Government of the Iraqi President. Mr Saddam Hussein, and the proclamation of an Islamic republic in more secularised Iraq. On Friday Iran will celebrate the fourth anniversary of the overthrow of the late Shah of Iran by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeiny. the revolutionary leader. Some diplomats in the area think that Iran has timed its offensive so as to be able to announce something dramatic on the anniversary.

Teheran radio said yesterday that Iranian troops had stormed across trenches and minefields during the previous night to recapture 250 sq. km of territory and seize three military outposts inside Iraq. An Iraqi brigade, two infantry battalions, and one mechanised battalion had

been smashed in the drive, which had achieved all its initial objectives, the radio said. The Parliament's Speaker. Hojatoleslam Hasemi Rafsanjani. said that the offensive was the final move towards ending the war. Teheran radio said it was the

biggest operation since the war began. Hojatoleslam Rafsanjani told the Majlis (Parliament) that Iran had ordered the thrust after Bagdad refused to answer repeated Iranian calls for ending the conflict, the national news agency. Irna. said.