Indonesia joins Baghdad air strike counter attack

Indonesia has condemned US and British air strikes on Iraq for causing civilian casualties and has warned the raids must not be repeated.

Indonesia has condemned US and British air strikes on Iraq for causing civilian casualties and has warned the raids must not be repeated.

The raids have increased the suffering of Iraqis already hurt by prolonged economic sanctions, the Jakarta-based foreign ministry says.

The Indonesian government also says the attacks were not in line with international law.

US officials say Friday's raids on air defence sites around Baghdad were meant to damage Iraq's improved ability to target US and British planes patrolling a no-fly zone in southern Iraq.

Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid has often expressed his support for the easing of the UN embargo on Iraq, which was imposed shortly after Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.

But Mr Wahid canceled a trip to Baghdad last year after US pressure not to go. His pro-Iraqi stance has angered Washington, which is seeking to maintain the country's isolation.

Indonesia is the world's most populous Islamic nation. Mr Wahid's government has been trying to boost links with both Israel and Arab nations.

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