The Associated Press reported Saturday that after heavy bombing this week that left the village of Tal Afar 80% empty, Iraq has sealed its Syrian border. Iraqi officials claim they have captured 150 fighters from Syria, though the US has not backed up that claim.
Excerpts from the piece, which appeared in today's Wall Street Journal, follow:
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Iraq's prime minister on Saturday sealed the northern border with Syria and imposed a night-time curfew in the region around the Rabiaa frontier post.
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The order, coming a day after two simultaneous car bombs killed five Iraqi soldiers near the border, went out as Iraqi forces, backed by U.S. soldiers, swept into Tal Afar, an insurgent stronghold about 60 miles to the east.
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Mr. Jabr said the closure was in effect under further notice.
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Separately, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who will meet with President Bush next week, said on Friday he believes there will be no need for U.S. forces within two years. But he warned that a quick withdrawal of U.S. and multinational forces "could lead to the victory of the terrorists in Iraq and create grave threats to the region, the United States and the civilized world."
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The full, registration-restricted story can read here.
Originally published on Saturday September 10, 2005.
