Coalition builds northern front

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq -- The U.S. military's northern front against Iraq appears to be building, with American planes landing in the Kurdish north and more airstrikes pounding positions of a militant Islamic group with alleged al Qaeda and Baghdad ties.\nFour U.S. planes carrying "scores" of American military personnel landed at the Bakrajo airstrip, 10 miles west of Sulaymaniyah, late Saturday, a high-level Kurdish official said on condition of anonymity. They joined Special Operations troops already in the region.\nAdditional U.S. aerial attacks began Friday night and, a day later, targeted suspected positions of the militant Ansar al-Islam group, military officials said.\nThere were no details about casualties. The Friday night assault left scores dead, mostly members of another Islamist group accused of supporting Ansar, military officials said.\nAt the U.S. Central Command in Qatar, Lt. Gen. John Abizaid confirmed that the United States was "reinforcing our presence" in the north but gave no details.\nThe Kurdish official said more U.S. planes and personnel were scheduled to arrive in coming days and already may have landed at other airstrips in the Kurdish autonomous area, which has been under American and British aerial protection since the 1991 Gulf War.\nThe American planes originally were scheduled to land two months ago, but were delayed as Americans attempted to sort out a military strategy, the official said.\nAnsar, as well as the Baghdad-controlled strategic oil cities of Kirkuk and Mosul, are possible U.S. targets, the official said. On Sunday, numerous bursts of anti-aircraft artillery were heard from the direction of Mosul.