Spoetnik
19-12-04, 14:51
Reeds een maand geleden verklaardde de Amerikanen dat Falujjah opnieuw in handen was van de Iraakse overheid. Maar blijkbaar gaat niet alles van een lijen dakje, nog dagelijks worden er Amerikaanse soldaten het slachtoffers van de Mujaheddeen, nog dagelijks worden er bombardementen uitgevoerd door de Amerkanen en nog steeds kunnen de vluchtelingen niet terugkeren naar Falujjah. Het is duidelijk dat als er al een verkiezing gehouden zal worden in Januari, dat deze niet zal plaatsvinden in Falujjah.
US warplanes strike Falluja
The US military has renewed its aerial assault of Falluja amid reports of fierce clashes with the city's resistance, an Iraqi journalist said.
According to independent Iraqi journalist Fadhil al-Badrani, US warplanes targeted Falluja's eastern and southern districts.
He said fierce clashes had broken out in the city centre between US forces who have been in the city since 8 November and Iraqi fighters who had infiltrated back in across the Euphrates river.
"There is no way to determine the number of casualties as US authorities have barred journalists and aid workers from entering Falluja," al-Badrani told Aljazeera.
Falluja return delayed
The US military had earlier said it could not recommend to the Iraqi interim government the return of residents to Falluja.
"At some point we will make a recommendation; we have not reached that point," Lieutenant Colonel Dan Wilson, a deputy commander of the First Marine Expeditionary Force, told reporters in a military base near Falluja late on Friday.
The Iraqi interim government had promised on Thursday residents could begin returning to the city, west of Baghdad, as early as next week, saying that basic services and aid had been restored.
But US marines, backed by a small Iraqi force, are apparently still engaged in fighting with the city's remaining resistance. There are also fears that some civilians may be trapped.
"We know of 150 civilians trapped in the city," al-Badrani said.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0C0E2958-44ED-4DAE-9B6C-6B7B32515548.htm
US warplanes strike Falluja
The US military has renewed its aerial assault of Falluja amid reports of fierce clashes with the city's resistance, an Iraqi journalist said.
According to independent Iraqi journalist Fadhil al-Badrani, US warplanes targeted Falluja's eastern and southern districts.
He said fierce clashes had broken out in the city centre between US forces who have been in the city since 8 November and Iraqi fighters who had infiltrated back in across the Euphrates river.
"There is no way to determine the number of casualties as US authorities have barred journalists and aid workers from entering Falluja," al-Badrani told Aljazeera.
Falluja return delayed
The US military had earlier said it could not recommend to the Iraqi interim government the return of residents to Falluja.
"At some point we will make a recommendation; we have not reached that point," Lieutenant Colonel Dan Wilson, a deputy commander of the First Marine Expeditionary Force, told reporters in a military base near Falluja late on Friday.
The Iraqi interim government had promised on Thursday residents could begin returning to the city, west of Baghdad, as early as next week, saying that basic services and aid had been restored.
But US marines, backed by a small Iraqi force, are apparently still engaged in fighting with the city's remaining resistance. There are also fears that some civilians may be trapped.
"We know of 150 civilians trapped in the city," al-Badrani said.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/0C0E2958-44ED-4DAE-9B6C-6B7B32515548.htm