Iranian Army strikes a blow

Press, 15 April 1988, Page 8

Iranian Army strikes a blow

NZPA-Reuter Teheran Iran has launched a military offensive against Iraq partly aimed at restoring the pride! of the regular Armyl which has 1 been overshadowed by Islamic militia successes in the Gulf war, according to diplomatic sources. They said a push into Panjwin in north-east Iraq on Monday night coincided with the start of' a i week of functions focusing on the Army. The Iranian police

chief, Reza Niknejad, told the “Ettelaat” newspaper that the week was aimed at showing appreciation of the regular forces. The diplomatic sources said the Panjwin operation was the first for 18 months launched completely by regular troops without the! support of Revolutionary Guards or Basij volunteers. Iran said it struck 25km deep (into Iraq to pave the way for an attack on the city of

Sulaymaniyah. It said about 3500 Iraqis were killed or wounded and 315 captured. Iraq says it threw back the offensive with heavy Iranian casualties. ' ( : j

The latest attack drove from the airwaves reports of an earlier offensive by the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij. Iran says they captured the town of Halabja, south of Panjwin, in midMarch. Teheran says its: success at Halabja (brought

it within striking distance of the Darbandikhan Dam, which supplies electric power to Bagdad, ( and had increased support for Iran among separatist Kurds in Halabja, a town of 70,000. The Revolutionary Guards and the Basij, raised after the Islamic Revolution removed the Shah in 1979, were the focus of public attention in at least five of the offensives launched in the past 18 months.