IRAN-IRAQ: SITUATION REPORT -- IRAN GAINS GROUND; IRAQ ATTACKS OIL REFINERY

Created: 3/18/1988

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

IRAN-IRAQ:

situation report

gains ground

cnran claims its val-fajrffensive continued yesterday in northeastern iraq, wnn iranian troops capturing the town ol haia&jah and advancing toward sayytd sadiq. iranian press roporls claim hai tehran0 irarji casualties andrigade-size unit in kslabiafi andajor general. tehran also claims thai its forces in the area were attemd with chemical domhs

dropped from iraqi aircraft. iraqi presi abbbbbjafeaj

sarti

.vintromlriekrturrrioi-rialapian

iha front.l

llred one missile al tehran yesterday, and iran did not retaliate. ireqi elrcitl continue to conduct dally sis-attach missions over tie pers a" on.', and irenien navel urns continue to shadow guh" sfrpping |

comment the capture ot iraqi territory we rn^ baghdad poatlcaay and ireqisiavery to rer-force me rvythern iront with units from elsewhere aiong the front, butove risks weakening other areas. tehran wi the past has mofwored troop movemenu io spot vuinerabi tiles in iraqi defenses, andgainst as suiaymanryah is sure to inciease. bbjbbbbj

khomeini's public comments on the ollensiv* indicate tehran is confident it can hotd the newly captured territory. the remarks are probably designed to stiffen iranian resolve by reminding iranian people that h* remains behind the war effort. tehran's instruction to its un mission reflects an attempt to exploit international sentiment against baghdad for continuing the "war of thehe iranians are attempting to fuel concerns expressed by some un members tnai an arms embargo at this time wou.it oriy reinforce tehran's deter nvnation to continue the war.BW

continued

-tep 8eases

Iraq) Allacheindicate tmi Iraqi aircraft hit al instaSsfions in 3fi<M

Wednesday The attack was tfn Msi earned out agarttt ma:c<

banian economic tereaJs snc*eOrverjthe Tehran refinery was hit The extern of damage to the Tehran refinery rs not clear. Out no petroleum shortages have been reported, and Iran appears to be stockpiling In anticipation of further re'metf attacks. Tehran la rmpo.-tlng petroleum proflucis at tie rate cf atanes per dey. according toreports, nearly twice the Import levels In Decemss^V

Comment All sot of Iran's refineries haveSuSta'ned war damage in the past, but Iraq's recant ttrates do not appear to havenificae* impact on Iran's domeene peuoteurri product supplies Nevertheless. Tehran'sefforts nsfleci its concern fulure attacks could SWiOusry disrupt eupcioi

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