The World - News from Feb. 23, 1986

Iraq moved fresh troops, equipment and a top battlefield commander from a vital front north of Basra to bolster its drive south of the city against Iranian troops entrenched on the marshy Faw peninsula. Iraq has been trying to dislodge an estimated 30,000 soldiers from Faw since Iran captured it nearly two weeks ago. Iraq’s 3rd Army Corps was being sent south to join three columns of Iraq’s 7th Army Corps trying to push back the Iranians. The Faw counter-offensiive was being led by Lt. Gen. Hisham Sabahn Fakhri, Iraq’s assistant chief of staff.