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{Updates} US warplanes pound Fallujah
(Filed: 17/10/2004 / Telegraph.co.uk )US warplanes have continued to pound Falluja as troops exchanged gunfire with rebels accused of shielding militant supporters of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraq's most wanted man. The battles subsided at dusk after US forces pulled back from forward positions. Four civilians, including a child, were killed in the violence, while 12 people were left wounded. The outbreak of renewed violence across the country has marred the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan as the US continued in its campaign to reinforce its positions around the rebel-stronghold of Fallujah. Earlier, two US helicopters crashed in the midst of the violence, bringing the American death toll to six in less than 24 hours. In Baghdad's Sadr City slum, an arms collection point came under mortar fire, just hours before interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi was due there. Witnesses say the attack occurred at a football stadium where weapons collected from Shi'ite militiamen under a disarmament scheme had been gathered. There was no immediate word on casualties. The weapons collection scheme, extended on Friday for two days, was due to end later today. The violence comes as British commanders considered a request from the US to deploy UK troops for first Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-10-17 |
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