Heavy toll feared in Gulf battles

Press, 22 October 1984, Page 6

Heavy toll feared in Gulf battles

NZPA-Reuter Bahrain Three days of bitter fighting between Iran and Iraq have apparently resulted in thousands of casualties, but no clear picture has emerged of which side holds the upper hand. Iran said yesterday that it had met all the targets of its new thrust in the Meimak region of its Ilam province — the recovery of territory lost earlier in the four-year-old Gulf war.

But a Bagdad communique said that Iraqi troops had retaken all positions won by the Iranians since their strike in the area on Thursday. Iranian officials invited yesterday foreign newsmen to visit the battle front, suggesting that their troops had secured the area. The official Irna news agency earlier said that Islamic forces had “achieved all their military

targets.” It reported 2500 Iraqi casualties in the three days of fighting but did not say how many of those had died. The Bagdad communique gave no detailed casualty breakdown. It said that Iranian infantry and tank battalions as well as two Revolutionary Guards brigades had been “annihilated” as Iraq rewon areas seized by Iran. Iraq on Saturday reported .

1829 Iranians killed in the tank and infantry battle for control of strategic heights overlooking the Iraqi plains east of Bagdad. Iraq’s President, Mr Saddam Hussein, returned to Bagdad yesteray from his second visit in two. days to the front line. Television viewers saw film of him talking to 2nd corps field commanders and issuing orders to the troops.