TIKRIT, Iraq -
Maj. Troy Smith, a deputy brigade commander, told reporters in Tikrit, the fugitive former president's hometown and now headquarters for the 4th Infantry Division. He could be here right now he said of Saddam.
The insurgents' attacks on U.S. occupation forces averaged 22 a day in the past week, the U.S. military reported yesterday in Baghdad. That is an increase of several a day over the pace of some weeks earlier, and has resulted in U.S. deaths at a rate of almost one every two days.
The attacks late Sunday and yesterday against 4th Infantry Division troops took place in Tikrit and at locations north and east of here, according to the U.S. command:
- he is maintaining a strong influence in the area.
He did not elaborate on intelligence information leading the military to conclude Saddam has been in the Tikrit area, but he expressed confidence in the quality of the information. Where else would he go to? he said. He has family and tribal roots here.
Some other key regime figures still at large could be in the Tikrit area, Smith said. Of the 55 Iraqis on the coalition's most wanted list, 38 are in custody, 14 are at large and three are either dead or thought to be dead.
Those still free obviously have the money to pay the average poor Iraqi to shoot at coalition forces
Smith said.
In other developments:
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Katarina Kratovac
