July 29, 1999
Web posted at: 6:20 p.m. EDT (2220 GMT)

In this story: 'Martyrdom of 8 citizens' RELATED STORIES, SITES

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq said on Thursday that eight people were killed and 26 injured when Western planes conducted bombings in the country's northern and southern no-fly zones.

Military officials in Washington said U.S. planes attacked targets on Thursday in both no-fly zones in response to Iraqi violations of the restricted air space.

When Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery shot at coalition aircraft, U.S. Air Force planes responded by dropping laser- guided bombs on military sites in northern Iraq north of Mosul, according to U.S. military officials.

In the south, coalition aircraft struck three Iraqi military communication sites and one Iraqi military radar site, said the U.S. Central Command.

The strikes were in response to recent incidents of Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery firing at coalition aircraft in the no-fly zone, as well as several Iraqi aircraft violations of the air space, U.S. military officials said.

U.S. and British planes conducted the airstrikes in the south, near the towns of Al Jarrah, Al Kut, and Al Numinayah. They flew from land and sea bases in the Arabian Gulf area, according to U.S. military officials.

'Martyrdom of 8 citizens'

An Iraqi military spokesman, in a statement carried by the official Iraqi news agency, said, "Hostile formations carried out 20 sorties coming from Saudi and Kuwaiti airspace and flew over the provinces of Najaf, Kerbala and Wasit. The bombings led to the martyrdom of eight citizens."

Planes from the United States and Britain patrol the no-fly zones, set up after the 1991 Persian Gulf War to protect Kurdish rebels in the north and Shiite Muslims in the south.

Iraq does not recognize the zones and has been challenging the patrol planes since late December. Coalition planes have attacked more than 400 Iraqi targets since then.

Correspondent Jamie McIntyre and Reuters contributed to this report.

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