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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| U.S. Tells Civilians to Flee Rebel Iraqi City | |
| 2004-11-05 | |
| BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. troops urged civilians to flee Falluja on Friday and launched air strikes on the rebel city ahead of an assault seen as critical to attempts to pacify Iraq before January elections. U.S. forces sealed all roads to the city and used loudspeakers and leaflets in Arabic to tell residents they would detain any man under 45 trying to enter or leave the city. "We are making last preparations. It will be soon. We are just awaiting orders from Prime Minister (Iyad) Allawi," Marine Colonel Michael Shupp told Reuters near Falluja. Many residents have already fled the Sunni Muslim city of 300,000, about 50 km (32 miles) west of Baghdad. U.S. warplanes and artillery bombarded Falluja on Friday, residents said, and rebels fired mortars and rocket-propelled grenades at U.S. forces on the city outskirts. There was no immediate word on casualties. Ambulances were waiting for fighting to ease before venturing on to the streets. The U.S. military said overnight air raids had destroyed a command post, arms caches and rebel positions. Hospital workers in Falluja said the strikes had killed three people, wounded four and destroyed five houses. The military also said two Marines were killed and four wounded in combat on Thursday in Anbar province, home to Falluja and the city of Ramadi, also expected to be part of any assault. Allawi was meeting European Union leaders in Brussels on Friday and was expected to return to Iraq after that.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #8 Fox had another guy on earlier saying these are not the same Marine elements who were involved in the April operation - those guys are back stateside at the moment. I know they deserve the R&R - but experience is important and true urban warfare experience is extremely limited. Hats off to these guys - may they go slow, go safe, and comprehensively wipe out the jihadis in toto. I wonder what the details of the ROE are... |
| Posted by: .com 2004-11-05 4:34:07 PM |
| #7 Just saw on Fox interview with Marines outside of Falluja. Cleaning and loading weapons, couple of guys in the backround were taping lengths of primacord together. Getting ready to open a few doors, I expect. Plus they showed Kurdish Special Forces with them, practicing getting out of APCs in a hurry. This is the real deal. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-11-05 4:24:32 PM |
| #6 nah, this time we've given the civies plenty of time and opportunity to quit town. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-11-05 4:14:21 PM |
| #5 are we gonna finish the job this time though or come down the road a couple of months and have too do the same thing again? |
| Posted by: smokeysinse 2004-11-05 4:03:21 PM |
| #4 "RUN, you fools!" |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-11-05 3:51:35 PM |
| #3 It was about time!!! |
| Posted by: Anonymous4724 2004-11-05 3:35:53 PM |
| #2 The flag has gone up... |
| Posted by: .com 2004-11-05 3:26:38 PM |
| #1 Get the friendlies out of the kill box. |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-11-05 3:15:57 PM |