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US launches massive Falluja raid
At least seven people have been killed in US strikes on the volatile Iraqi city of Falluja, hospital sources say. They said at least 11 other people were injured, as US planes, tanks and artillery units shelled the city west of the capital, Baghdad. Several buildings in the city centre were destroyed, witnesses said. The US military said it targeted a meeting place for fighters loyal to terror suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, blamed for masterminding many attacks. "Intelligence sources reported that terrorists were using the site to plan additional attacks against Iraqi citizens and multinational forces," a US military statement said. The statement added that no civilians were reported in the area at the time. The US accuses Zarqawi, head of the Tawhid and Jihad movement, of leading al-Qaeda operations in Iraq and for being behind numerous car bombings and kidnappings. Zarqawi is believed to be behind much of the terror & violence in Iraq This week his group beheaded two American hostages and has threatened to kill British hostage Kenneth Bigley. American troops have been carried out frequent raids on Falluja in an attempt to defeat him and his fighters. US officials have also offered a $25m bounty for information leading to Zarqawi's capture. The city, about 40 miles (65km) west of Baghdad, in the so-called Sunni triangle, has been a centre of some of the strongest resistance to coalition forces. US forces have not entered Falluja since pulling back in April after a three-week siege of the city. Hundreds died and thousands fled as US marines and Iraqi insurgents fought in built up civilian areas. Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-09-25 |
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