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The role of special operations
By Kris Osborn
(CNN) -- U.S. military officials say U.S. special operations forces have been conducting "dozens of ambushes and raids every day" in places throughout Iraq. Cmdr. Kevin Aandahl with coalition forces special operations command in Qatar says, "Special operations forces are playing a dynamic role in the campaign. We are very active, capable and present in Iraq." Within the last several weeks, senior U.S. military officials say, a heavy amount of "A-teams" and other elite special operations units have been attacking "roads, bridges and strategically important areas." Officials say the U.S.-led attacks are against Iraqi conscripts and paramilitary forces in northern, southern and western Iraq. In some cases, the Iraqi forces are fighting back, yet in numerous instances, one official said the "Iraqi forces are abandoning their trenches and leaving equipment." One senior official told CNN he believes these small-scale attacks are "reducing Saddam's ability to exercise command and control over his forces." Military officials say that in northern Iraq Kurdish forces are functioning in a manner virtually "identical to the way the Northern Alliance acted in Afghanistan." U.S. Special Forces have given them weapons, supplies and new equipment. One military official characterizes the Kurdish forces as "very receptive" and "organized." Kurdish forces recently attacked a suspected terrorist training camp belonging to the Ansar al-Islam group in northern Iraq. According to military sources, Kurdish fighters and U.S. Special Forces attacked from the ground while coalition aircraft attacked from the air. The aircraft used in the attack, according to military sources, were U.S. B-52s, F-18s, AC-130s and helicopter gunships. The suspected Ansar al-Islam terrorist training camp has, in the words of one official, been "decimated." Gen. Tommy Franks on Sunday said U.S. and Kurdish forces had destroyed a massive "terrorist facility" operated by Ansar al-Islam. Coalition aircraft have been targeting the camp for more than a week, according to officials, who say many Arab fighters at the location were killed in the attack. Also, according to U.S. officials, more suspected Ansar al-Islam fighters are believed to have escaped. Central Command officials tell CNN that sensitive site exploration teams are exploring the suspected terrorist training camp. A spokeswoman with U.S. Central Command said, "Basically, the teams are going over the area with a fine-tooth comb to gather intelligence." "The camp was occupied by the Ansar al-Islam group, we have a robust coalition with close air support," says Aandahl. "We are working with opposition groups like the Kurds, in fact, we will work with anyone who works with us. The Kurds have a pretty competent force already." In western Iraq, military officials say, the H2 and H3 airfields are both secure and under coalition control. Military sources say U.S. Army Rangers and elite forces with the Special Tactics Squadron, (an Air Force special operations unit) attacked the airfields. Additionally, special operations forces assisted with targeting and coordination of air support during the attacks, directing AC-130 Gunships, F-18 hornets and F-15s. Officials say there was some light resistance from Iraqi forces during the attacks. However, during the fight for the H2 airfield, military sources say there were some "sharp engagements and back and forth fighting." In southern Iraq, a senior military official told CNN that U.S. Navy SEALs are working closely with Royal Marine Commandos. In particular, counterinsurgency teams are knocking on doors, conducting searches and in the words of one military source, "hunting down the Fedayeen," Saddam Hussein's irregular troops who have been giving coalition forces trouble in southern Iraq. When asked about the potential difficulty of discerning hostile from friendly Iraqis, military officials explain, "We conduct a lot of surveillance and analysis before attacks." Military officials say electronic assets (such as the Predator and other UAVs) and human intelligence complement one another through a process Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has referred to as "fusion." Using overhead electronic surveillance along with human eyes on the ground can make a difference. Aandahl said, "U.S. Navy SEALs worked with British Royal Marine Commandos to take down of the oil and gas platforms off the coast of Iraq. This area is literally the taproot of the financial future of Iraq and the Iraqi people. We found a large amount of explosives, evidence that Iraqi forces had been prepared to blow up the area. Now, humanitarian aid can flow in." In fact, it has begun to arrive in several parts of southern Iraq. As for southern Iraq, however, one senior military official said the U.S. coalition was "a little surprised about how suspicious [of U.S. and coalition forces] the Shi'ites would be." The same official said it is only a matter of time until Basra falls completely under coalition control. "Basra is a lifeline for Iraq, and the Iraqi government is losing part of the city."
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