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  Sectarian Murders Down in Baghdad
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Last Editedkal  Jun 19, 2007 06:23am
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News DateTuesday, June 19, 2007 12:00:00 PM UTC0:0
DescriptionSectarian murders and executions in Baghdad are declining, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said on the "Fox News Sunday" television program.

Army Gen. David H. Petraeus told host Chris Wallace via satellite link from Baghdad that the U.S. troop surge has helped reduce sectarian murders and executions in Baghdad by one-third between January and April. And despite an uptick in violence in May, the levels of violence are again going down.

"The fact is, as we go on the offensive, the enemy is going to respond," Petraeus said.

Last week Petraeus received his full compliment of additional troops. He said surge operations are now truly just beginning, and he characterized what has been done thus far as "shaping operations." The general said the additional troops give him the combat power to launch operations in al Qaeda sanctuaries where there has been little permanent coalition force presence in the past.

Petraeus said about 30 percent of Baghdad is a major concern, because these areas have sharp fault lines between Shiia and Sunni Muslims. "We are focusing on them quite intently," he said. "And the additional forces will enable us to conduct additional operations in those areas."

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