Clashes in Northwest Iran!... Chopper Down-Dozens Dead!
Ten Revolutionary Guard members including two officers were killed when their helicopter was shot down by insurgents on Saturday.
Iranian news reported that 17 "terrorists" were eliminated during the fighting.
A helicopter hovers over Tehran in December 2005. Insurgents shot down an Iranian helicopter today in northwest Iran killing 10 Revolutionary Guard members including two commanders. (AFP)
Iranian Bazteb news reported that ten Iranian Revolutionary Guard members were killed when their helicopter was shot down today in northwest Iran:
Ten Killed in IRGC Helicopter CrashKamangir has more from Iranian websites on this "Extraordinarily Ordinary" crash.
Some sources cited technical problems as the cause of the explosion. But certain terrorist organizations claimed that the helicopter exploded after they targeted it with US made SA-7 rockets.
A helicopter of the Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps (IRGC) crashed northwest of Iran on Friday in which two IRGC commanders and eight forces were killed.
The helicopter was on a mission at Khoy region, East Azarbaijan province, where it had to make an emergency landing immediately after which it was exploded. All IRGC forces on the board including two commanders were killed instantly.
Some sources cited technical problems as the cause of the explosion. But certain terrorist organizations claimed that the helicopter exploded after they targeted it with US made SA-7 rockets.
Saeed Ghahhari, commander of the 3rd army of IRGC and Brigadier Hanif Dorosti were among those killed.
Meanwhile, clashes have been reported between the Iranian military forces and PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party) separatists in Jahannam-darreh, near Khoy, in the past two days during which some 20 PKK terrorists have reportedly been killed.
Last week, a driver of a PKK leader revealed that the US military commanders are in contact with leaders of the PKK terrorist group which is in the US State Department's list of terrorist organizations.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards carry rocket-propelled grenade launchers as they participate in wargames near Qom on 20 February. Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards on Saturday have killed 17 rebels described as opponents of the Islamic republic in clashes in a remote area close to the Turkish border.(AFP/File)
The BBC reported on the rebel casualties from the clashes:
The Iranian military has killed 17 rebels in the north-west of the country, state media have reported. A unit of Revolutionary Guards attacked the rebels in a remote area near the Turkish border, IRNA news agency said.The International Herald Tribune says Iran has pinned down the culprits behind the attacks:
A military helicopter involved in the operation crashed in bad weather killing a Guards commander on board, Fars news agency reported.
There have been previous clashes in the area between Iranian security forces and militants linked to Kurdish groups.
"The Revolutionary Guards besieged these elements and started neutralising them," IRNA quoted a Guards commander as saying.
"In this operation at least 17 mercenary anti-revolution elements were killed and some were injured."
"Greedy enemies ... the Americans, the British and the Zionist regime, having seen their objectives fail in the Middle East and region, are seeking to incite insecurity on Iran's borders," IRNA quoted Safavi as saying.Azerbaijan News is also carrying the story today.
Safavi also vowed to crush the rebels.
"Iran's enemies, through hiring some mercenaries and with their wishful thinking, want to create instability but ... the armed forces will strongly suppress anti-revolutionaries and rebels who are dependent to foreigners," Safavi was quoted by IRNA as saying.
Besides the sporadic violence in the southeast, ethnic Arab Sunni militants have been blamed for bombings in the southwestern city of Ahvaz — including blasts in 2006 that killed nine people. Iranian Kurds based in northern Iraq have also stepped up incursions into Iran.
Aljazeera has a report on the clashes saying the regime is "cleaning up the area" of insurgents.
posted by Gateway Pundit at 2/24/2007 10:37:00 AM
17 Comments:
The SA-7 is not US made. It's a Russian design and made by a variety of countries including China:
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/sa-7.htm
But Shane...your missing the point...all weaponry the insurgents in Iran have has got to be American Made or the antiwar types in the west would think these "terrorists" have a legit grudge with the gov't of Iran (ever benevolent and kind as it is). It is obvious we made these weapons in the same factories we made those tanks, AKs and Scuds Saddam was using (as many lefty types keep telling me, Saddam got all his weapons from the US).
jp, shane,
The US has at various times manufactured Soviet weapons (especially ammunition for same) for use by various insurgencies, in order to make the weapons and ammunition harder to trace.
So there is a small but real possibility the SA-7s were of US origin.
However, it is probably easier for the US to buy the stuff, although if we manufactured it the reliability would be higher.
Let me also note that the Iranians may be shooting themselves in the foot here because such tales give the anti-regime/pro-US faction in Iran hope.
This is exactly why we don't need to invade Iran. We just need to set their nuke program back by several years.
Here are some effective techniques on how to win debates with idiots over Iraq. It is great for the office or for social gatherings.
It was made clear some time ago that the US, via CIA, would be dumpinglots of money and support to try to topple the present regime in Iran. We do that a lot and in many places
kmg4 notes a fifth column in the US by citing one blog! wow that should undermine the Bush invasion into Iraq. Ask then why so large a percentage of Amricans no longer believe we ought to be there, in the midst of a sectarian war...it behoves someone calling himself a political scientist to recognize that not all citizens are traitors if they do not belive he simplistic things he does.
fred,
Most Americans support finishing the job in Iraq, and achieving victory.
I take it the article I linked has left you stumped, since you could not answer the points in it?
The Russians will sell anything to anyone for cold hard cash. Could the CIA buy SA-7s through a front organization from unscrupulous Russian bureaucrats? You betcha.
Now I have no idea if this is happenning, but it gives me satisfaction to think our secret agents are supplying Iranian insurgents the weapons they need to harass the mullahs who have been supplying explosves and training to Iraqi insurgents to kill our guys.
Two can play that game, Mullah Boys.
Actually, American companies make good money reverse engineering Russian hardware and selling it to former Soviet allies who still carry the equipment. I was in the Air Force for 21 years as an aircraft mechanic. There was one US aviation company who bought Russian MIG's with a permit from the US government, to reverse engineer spare parts for them to sell to former Soviet allies. To have American made SA-7's is entirely possible, because an American company probably makes them for sale to former Soviet block countries in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
hey, lets cruise the desert riding double on bright red yamaha's, dont worry, our uniform's camoflage will keep us safe.
What a bunch of yahoos. I expect Sally Struthers to be on some infomercial any day now: "your 50 cents a day can help these Iranian Kurdish children defeat the mullahs, and defeat poverty"
The implications that Iran is some apocalyptic threat are Orwellian, and I do not mean that as some comment supportive of liberal domestic politics in America...think about it.
Iran is only 50% Persian, and a lot of the rest don't particularly want to be part of the Grand Revolution of Stupidity. Already, they are looking at Iraq and asking why even there, amid all the violence, people are freer than in Iran.
The eggshell is cracking. A few good taps and it may break open.
While I wish more "insurgents" would attack and kill the RG in Iran, I think we need to understand and defend against our real enemies here at home.
Starting with our Congress.
Papa Ray
West Texas
USA
The most delicious scenario I could imagine would be taking the Iranian weapons that we've intercepted or seized in Iraq and handing them over to revolutionary groups in Iran. When some of that stuff gets seized by the Iranians (and it would be inevitable, eventually) what are the Iranians to do? They can't hold a news conference and publicize the serial numbers. The lots and numbers come from Iranian factories or foreign points of origin sold to Iran. And they might just wonder, a little bit, if their "friends" in Iraq might not have sold on some of their stuff. Who knows, it might just happen
Happy are those who mess with the minds of our enemies.
Referring to TM Lutas point.
I seem to recall reading that some of the Iranian supplied hardware that has been seized in Iraq over the last few weeks included SAM 7 missiles (whether Russian or Iranian made I don't know).
There were hints that the five Americans that were pulled out of a headquarters building and executed as was warning to show Iranian displeasure with their diplomats being detained by American troops.
Shooting down an Iranian helicopter with an Iranian supplied missile could be construed as warning that displeasure goes both ways.
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Thanks for the nice post!
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