A police station in central Iraq was attacked on Thursday, injuring six people.
Two rockets hit the Ramadi Police Directorate, some 160 kilometers west of the capital Baghdad, as officers gathered inside to receive their monthly salaries, said Maj. Samir Habib. Two policemen and four civilians were wounded, he said.
In the meantime, US soldiers on Thursday kept up their daily raids against suspected "rebel strongholds", including an overnight raid in Saddam Hussein's ancestral hometown of Tikrit that netted several illegal weapons.
Meanwhile major newspapers in Japan reported that the prime minister has approved a plan to begin dispatching 1,000 troops for non-combat duty in Iraq.
The Japanese Cabinet was predicted to support the dispatch plan next week and Japan's defense chief, Shigeru Ishiba, would have final say on when the 1,000 air, sea and ground forces would be sent, according to the reports.
According to one national daily, the Yomiuri, a force of 1,100 would be dispatched to provide medical and other humanitarian aid. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
