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| Iraq-Jordan |
| TGIF-USMC |
| 2004-04-12 |
| CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq – Coalition forces initiated a unilateral suspension of offensive operations in Fallujah Friday at noon to allow meetings between members of the Iraqi Governing Council and Fallujah leadership, for delivery of additional humanitarian supplies and to allow residents of Fallujah to tend to wounded and dead. During this suspension period, coalition forces retain the inherent right of self-defense and will remain fully prepared to resume offensive operations unless significant progress in the discussions occurs. Since the suspension, the Marines have sustained one Marine killed and one wounded in Fallujah. Marines are allowing women and children to leave the city and humanitarian supplies – such as food and medical supplies – to be brought in after being inspected, but enemy combatants in Fallujah dropped mortar rounds on the convoys delivering the supplies Friday morning. Marines near Fallujah came under fire by a group of four enemy combatants, quickly reinforced by another 12. Marines returned fire and the enemy forces fled to a nearby cave. An AC-130 was called in to engage the enemy holed up in the cave with 105 mm fire, and Marines also called in two 500-pound laser-guided bombs. The bombs hit right on target. Near Ramadi, soldiers with the 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division assigned to 1st Marine Division captured a man believed to be responsible for repeated mortar attacks against U.S. bases. He was taken into custody after a local Iraqi gave the soldiers a tip. Soldiers with the 1st Brigade also detained one man near a checkpoint after three males were observed near a truck alongside a road near Ramadi. Two fled, but the third was captured. Soldiers also recovered a complete 60 mm mortar system, 40 60 mm rounds and a rocket-propelled-grenade launcher. Two hundred 1 oz. detonation primers and 12 RPG primers were also recovered. Another man was detained after soldiers scoured the nearby area for the fleeing suspects. At another checkpoint near Ramadi, soldiers recovered an RPG launcher from a car after the driver fled on foot. Two improvised explosive devices were discovered. One consisted of two 120 mm rounds with a detonator, and the other was a 155 mm artillery round. In the western region of Al Anbar Province, a Marine light-armored vehicle convoy repulsed an enemy ambush, capturing 15 of the attackers. Two individuals suspected of violent anti-Iraq activity were detained at a vehicle checkpoint. Approximately 20-30 enemy forces near Husaybah ambushed a convoy of Marine light-armored vehicles on the Syrian border. The Marines made several passes through a gauntlet of fire, killing 10-12 of the attackers. |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
| #2 You would think that the ambushers would begin to worry when the convoy made its third pass through their ambush. Someone should tell them that Marines like to shoot back and are very good at it. That's why they award and wear marksmanship medals. |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-04-12 10:37:28 AM |
| #1 but enemy combatants in Fallujah dropped mortar rounds on the convoys delivering the supplies Friday morning They appear to want a classic siege. Give them one. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-04-12 8:49:52 AM |