Brits join pre-poll offensive in Iraq
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BRITISH troops joined their US and Iraqi counterparts in a massive new offensive against insurgent strongholds yesterday as efforts intensified to restore government control in time for January 30 elections.
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US forces have launched a major offensive to reclaim the rebel stronghold of Samarra in the Sunni Muslim triangle ahead of nationwide parliamentary elections scheduled for January.
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BAGHDAD -- US troops staged raids in Mosul and elsewhere in northern and central Iraq yesterday, arresting dozens, while insurgents stepped up attacks two weeks ahead of national elections, ambushing a car carrying a prominent candidate and killing 17 people in other assaults.
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Tony Blair has forecast an upsurge in violence in Iraq ahead of planned January elections but says he has not yet decided on a U.S. request for back-up from UK troops.
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Pressure is rising to establish an Iraqi military capable of securing the country by January elections.
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MARK COLVIN: Iraq&#39;s election campaign is officially underway and already it&#39;s been hit by violence and fears that minority Sunnis will boycott next month&#39;s poll.
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Britain needs to redeploy troops closer to Baghdad so that the insurgency in central Iraq can be dealt with ahead of Iraqi elections, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Tuesday.
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Britain may send up to 1,300 extra troops to Iraq to help stabilize the country before scheduled elections there in January, The Times newspaper reported.
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Around 650 extra UK troops will be sent to Iraq ahead of the elections, the government is set to announce.
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British troops begin the move north to take over operations from US troops in central Iraq.
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More US troops are on their way to Iraq ahead of elections set for the end of January. The additional forces are intended to bolster security at a time when the country&#39;s insurgency is threatening
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British troops raided the country villas of some of Saddam Hussein&#39;s old guard on Thursday as they joined a US and Iraqi offensive against Sunni Muslim insurgents south of Baghdad.
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WASHINGTON The assault on Samarra by coalition forces over the weekend was probably the first step in a broader offensive intended to quell insurgent hot spots before the Iraqi elections in January.
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More than 3,000 US and Iraqi soldiers started a major operation yesterday against insurgent strongholds just south of Baghdad, their second mission in five days to take control from militants whose attacks threaten national elections seen as crucial to
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Iraqis living abroad cast ballots in their country's election - two days before the poll opens in Iraq itself.
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Britain today welcomed the announcement that nationwide elections would be held in Iraq on January 30, despite the continuing violence in many parts of the country.
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British troops are being sent to patrol areas near Baghdad to allow US troops to take &quot;decisive action&quot; against Iraqi insurgents, Britain&#39;s top military officer has said.