US forces continue to close in on former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and have conducted a series of ultra-secret operations in the two weeks since American soldiers killed two of his sons during prolonged gun battle in the northern city of Mosul, the military said yesterday.
"It's just a matter of time. He can't stay in one place very long," 4th Infantry Division spokeswoman Major Josslyn Aberle told reporters.
The top secret Special Operations Task Force 20 -- which is roaming Iraq, hunting Saddam and other high-profile targets -- captured four key individuals last week in raids that were supported by 4th Infantry soldiers, Aberle said at a news briefing.
Military officials had not previously acknowledged Task Force 20's involvement in the raids.
The army would not release the four men's names or their connection to Saddam.
A pair of Saddam's "very close associates" were captured on Friday during two simultaneous raids in Tikrit, the dictator's hometown, Aberle said.
Two others, described only as high-profile targets, were caught Saturday during a raid in Baiji, just north of Tikrit, she said, adding that the military was not prepared to release their names but had plans to do so eventually. Tikrit is 190km north of Baghdad.
Soldiers believe they came within 24 hours of capturing Saddam's new personal security chief -- and possibly the dictator himself -- during a raid in Tikrit on July 27.
"Based on intelligence that is way above our level, we believe that we have come close on one or two occasions," Aberle said.
Intelligence on Saddam's whereabouts is constantly evolving and the army is poised to strike as soon as it has any information upon which it can act, she said.
"It was the same with Uday and Qusay, they had not been up in Mosul -- or in that house where they were captured -- very long before the intelligence came in and we got them,'' she said.
Military officials estimate that Saddam is changing locations every four hours. The army has distributed a series of composite photos of how he may have changed his appearance, hoping that they may catch the dictator on the move.
"Everyday, every night, soldiers and coalition forces are out there, they're actively looking, actively pursuing leads and constantly gathering more intelligence," Aberle said.
Overnight 300 soldiers, backed by Bradley fighting vehicles and Apache attack helicopters raided four sites on the outskirts of Tikrit.
The operation was launched after the army learned that large gathering of former regime members was taking place at one of the sites, said Lieutenant Colonel Steve Russell, commander of the 22nd Infantry Regiment's 1st battalion.
Soldier did not find the meeting they were looking for, but used the opportunity to hunt without success for two guerrilla organizers who were believed to be in the area, he said. Soldiers detained an associate of one of the organizers, Russell said.
"It's like you're drilling for oil, and you're upset because you don't hit a gusher every time. The reality is we've been able to hurt the regime and he [Saddam] is a desperate and losing foe" Russell said.
At midday yesterday, the US military said there had been no fatal attacks on American soldiers in Iraq since late Friday -- a respite from the increased violence against Americans in Iraq since Uday and Qusay Hussein were gunned down July 22.
The Tampa, Florida-based US Central Command said Sunday raids by the 3rd Armored Cavalry in the so-called "Sunni Triangle" west and north of the capital netted "24 regime loyalists, including a targeted leader." It provided no details on the identities of the captives.
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