Japan denies Iraqi Samawah a war zone

Japan's Defense Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba denied Tuesday that Iraq's Samawah had become a war zone after a Monday attack on a minibus.

"I do not believe that Samawah has become a war zone," Ishiba told a news conference.

Japan has around 500 ground troops in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah on humanitarian assistance mission under a special law which limits operations in regions where no combat is or will be taking place.

A minibus was attacked Monday morning on a highway in the city, but no casualty has been reported. It was believed to be targeting the US troops.

Local security situation has deteriorated over the past several months. Motor shells were reported and one Dutch soldier was killed and another seriously wounded in a grenade attack on May 10.

Ishiba said that the Ground Self-Defense Force personnel there are not facing imminent danger.

Source: Xinhua