A senior Iraqi official said today Iranhad exaggerated reports of fighting on the Gulf war northern
front to make up for failure in the south and to encourage
anti-Baghdad Kurdish rebels to support its troops.
    The head of the defence ministry political department,
Abdul Jabbar Muhsen told Reuters in a telephone interview that
fighting continues in the Kurdistan mountain region, where Iran
launched its northern offensive last Tuesday night.
    Asked about the silence of Iraqi war communiques on the
battle he said, "Small units are taking part, the biggest of
which is brigade size.


