Talk:Battle of Baqubah

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--Kumioko 21:51, 26 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Al-Khalis source?

The number of militants killed is variously given as 60+ or 90+, but the latter includes operations not in Baqubah itself. Such as the fighting in Al-Khalis (Khales, etc), which is some 10 miles (distance between city centers according to Google Earth) NNW of Baqubah. I have no problem accepting either figure (preliminary as it may be) if it's sourced, but I have not seen any official statement that a) proves the al-Khalis fighting to be part of OAR (rather than the Diyala province campaign) and b) uses the 90 figure. If anyone does have one, please add - I'm rrv'ing but don't feel good about it; but in these matters, I have learned not to trust media reports over official statements, especially if the media reports are as vague as this (source #2 in article). This source (#1 in article) is a bit more detailed, but seems to imply that the 90 figure refers to the body count of fighting "around Baghdad", which would mean not just Baqubah/OAR, but Salah ad-Din, Diyala, Wasit, Al-Anbar, Al-Karbala, and maybe Al-Qadissiyah governorates in part, and Baghdad and Babil governorates in ther entirety.
In conclusion, the only cited source for the 90 figure is almost certainly not referring to the present operation, but to the Diyala, Al-Anbar and "Triangle of Death" campaigns combined. Dysmorodrepanis 13:58, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

• • As of a press release listed on the Multi National Force Iraq website today the toals are "at least 60 al-Qaida operatives have been killed, 74 have been detained, 31 weapons caches have been discovered, 81 improvised explosive devices have been destroyed and 18 booby-trapped structures have been destroyed. But there were other operations that occured both as a part of and in addition to Operation Arrowhead Ripper that as you mentioned may explain the higher total. --Langloisrg 14:34, 28 June 2007 (UTC)
    • Yes! And that's where a good source (such as another press release) is needed! Dysmorodrepanis 16:49, 28 June 2007 (UTC)
      • The numbers in the press release put out by MNF-I include all confirmed casualties and other effects of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, not just Baqouba. So, casualties from Khalis are included in the 60+ figure. --Kandano 07:11, 29 June 2007 (UTC)
        • This would match the emerging picture as I get it: compared to Fallujah ops, little fighting seems to have occurred after the first 3 days or so, being more of fighting guys that didn't want to get away than guys who didn't manage to get away. A few of the corpses on the 07-26 photo seem bloated and may have been dead for days; others wear what seems to be camo fatigues. No US KIA after day one have been reported to date. Few evidence found (caches, the field lab etc) was moveable. OPFOR seems not to have considered Baqubah holdable. It was quite hard to find any decent news on OAR, considering the fanfare of day 1. Dysmorodrepanis 20:50, 29 June 2007 (UTC)