December 16, 2002
Release 02-12-09


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COALITION AIRCRAFT DROP LEAFLETS IN SOUTHERN IRAQ

MACDILL AFB, FL – Coalition aircraft dropped 480,000 leaflets at about 4 a.m. EST today over southern Iraq.

Leaflets containing six separate messages were dropped at six locations, including near communications facilities that were damaged or destroyed by Coalition aircraft flying Operation Southern Watch missions on December 14. Leaflets dropped at those locations warned Iraqi forces that the Coalition has targeted fiber optic cables for destruction and that repairing the facilities place Iraqi military lives at risk.

Other leaflets:
. referred Iraqis to radio frequencies where they could hear broadcasts by Coalition forces providing information
. warned Iraqi air defenses that targeting Coalition aircraft or tracking them with radar could result in Coalition air strikes
. stated that Coalition aircraft enforce the no-fly zones to protect the Iraqi people, and that threatening Coalition aircraft may result in air strikes

This was the seventh leaflet drop over southern Iraq in the last three months.

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