 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
On Monday, he announced total curfew on Fallujah and Ramadi and ordered closure of Syrian and Jordan border except for food trucks. Baghdad airport is also closed down for 48 hours the Debkafile reported. In a news conference, Allawi reported 38 insurgents or terrorists were captured by U.S. forces. Terrorists were barricaded in Fallujah's main hospital which U.S. forces had seized as part of Operation 'Phantom Fury'. According to AFPS, Iraqi spokesman Asan Alib said the state of emergency order is for 60 days and that "all concerned ministers should comply." Reading from a prepared statement, the spokesman said Allawi's decision came as a result of escalating violence and daily mass killings that have included even women and children.
He said the crimes, along with the deliberate destruction of Iraq's infrastructure, are part of a plot by "criminals and terrorists" to derail the process toward general elections planned for January. Today's declaration of a state of emergency came only after the government tried "all peaceful solutions and carried out all possible connections and communications in order to establish a peaceful solution." An emergency law, issued in August 2004 with the consensus of all the ministers, stated that "all regions in Iraq can be submitted to emergency rules if found necessary," Alib said. The emergency law was passed "in order to start the end to all violence efforts carried out by the terrorists," he added. Alib said the "government is serious in maintaining the security of the country, and also it is quite serious in its part toward the general elections and any obstacles in this way be removed by the government."
**
Iraqi,
U.S. Troops Begin 'Phantom Fury' in Fallujah Iraqi, U.S. Troops Begin 'Phantom Fury' in Fallujah
Iraqi and U.S. forces began their long-awaited assault today against insurgents in Fallujah, Iraq, in an operation dubbed "Phantom Fury." According to various news reports, thousands of soldiers and Marines have moved into Fallujah neighborhoods believed to be harboring the most insurgents. Earlier, Iraqi troops took two bridges and a hospital in northern Fallujah, Multinational Force Iraq officials said today. Officials described the situation around the insurgent stronghold as "fluid." Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi gave the go-ahead for Iraqi and U.S. forces to rid the city of insurgents and foreign terrorists. In a news conference today in Baghdad, Allawi said his government is determined to drive the terrorists out of Fallujah. He said he makes this move after all peaceful means to solve the problem have not worked out. "I have given my authority to the Iraqi forces to spearhead the attacks," Allawi said. On Nov. 7, the prime minister declared a state of emergency in all of Iraq except for the Kurdish-controlled area in the north. The Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion took the bridges and hospital today and detained 38 men. Marine artillery and U.S. aircraft have hit terrorist hideouts in the city. Pentagon officials said Marines and soldiers in the area have observed secondary explosions after the strikes. This often signifies that ammunition or explosives were at the site that was struck, officials explained. Coalition forces are hitting anti-Iraqi forces where they show themselves. News reports indicate U.S. Marines and soldiers are firing mortars and artillery at concentrations of insurgents and foreign terrorists. The offensive in Fallujah is one of the most telegraphed military operations in history. That is by design, said Pentagon officials. The city normally has a population of about 300,000. With all the warnings, officials estimate that between 50,000 and 60,000 people are left in the city. Even so, Multinational Force Iraq officials report terrorists in the city are preventing families from leaving Fallujah. According to residents, terrorist plan to use citizens as human shields, then claim they were attacked by friendly forces. News accounts said that officials estimate between 5,000 and 6,000 insurgents and foreign terrorists are in the city. Multinational Force Iraq officials have received reports that terrorists in Fallujah are building a system of tunnels joining mosques and schools within the city. The tunnels reportedly would be used to transport weapons and ammunition throughout protected sites in the face of the Multinational Force assault. Under international law, mosques are granted protected status because of their religious and cultural significance. However, such sites lose their protected status when insurgents use them for military purposes. The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force is in command of coalition and Iraqi forces at the city. The 1st Marine Division and U.S. Army armored units from the 1st Infantry Division -- along with Iraqi allies -- stand ready on the northern part of the city, news accounts said. Fallujah, Ramadi Operations Update
In the last 24 hours, I Marine Expeditionary Force conducted coordinated offensive operations in and around the Fallujah-Ramadi area. I MEF destroyed several weapons caches. At 4:10 a.m., Nov. 6, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element, destroyed a weapons cache, which was a preplanned target. At 6 a.m., Nov. 6, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element, destroyed a weapons cache, which was a preplanned target. At 10:45 p.m., Nov. 6, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element, destroyed a weapons cache, which was a preplanned target. At 10:55 p.m., Nov. 6, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element, destroyed a weapons cache, which was a preplanned target. At 11 p.m., Nov. 6, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element, destroyed a weapons cache, which was a preplanned target. At 11:30 p.m., Nov. 6, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element, destroyed a weapons cache, which was a preplanned target. At 11:55 p.m., Nov. 6, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element, destroyed a weapons cache, which was a preplanned target. I Marine Expeditionary Force is determined to return the Fallujah-Ramadi area to the peaceful people of Iraq. (Source: CENTCOM) Military
Details Operations in Fallujah;
Nov. 6, 2004 -- U.S. military operations in Iraq are becoming more fluid as Iraqi security forces and elements from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force press forward with efforts to disrupt anti-Iraq forces in Fallujah and Ramadi. In a press statement from Baghdad today, military officials gave more details of military action over the past 24 hours, where Marines and Air Force aircraft have been conducting offensive operations in and around Fallujah and Ramadi. At 3:30 a.m. Nov. 5, a U.S. Marine Corps aircraft supporting a U.S. Marine Corps unit destroyed a preplanned target, a building known to house anti-aircraft capabilities. At 7:25 p.m. Nov. 5, Marine Corps aircraft used precision munitions to destroy a weapons cache. On Nov. 6, Marines also discovered a separate weapons cache, with 388 mortars, 80 artillery shells, 42 tank rounds, 16 rocket warheads, and 2 mortar tubes. At 11:30 p.m. Nov. 5, a U.S. Air Force aircraft supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element destroyed an anti-aircraft weapon. At 12:20 a.m. Nov. 6, a U.S. Air Force aircraft supporting a U.S. Marine Corps element destroyed three barricaded fighting positions. It was also reported that just before midnight Nov. 5 a military base known as Camp Babylon came under mortar attack. One explosion was heard in the vicinity of the camp, while another mortar grenade exploded inside the camp. There were no casualties and no damages. In another incident at around 2:40 p.m. today, three Task Force Baghdad soldiers were injured when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device was detonated near their convoy in western Baghdad. The three injured soldiers were medically evacuated to a Multinational Force medical facility. Initial reports from the scene of the attack indicate one Iraqi bystander was killed by the blast and another seriously wounded. The wounded Iraqi was evacuated to a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, military officials reported, Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines have intensified efforts to "hunt down anti-Iraqi forces fomenting violence and terrorizing the local populace." Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit rounded up 41 insurgents during early-morning raids and security operations Nov. 5 near Musayyib, about 40 miles south of the capital of Baghdad. Some of those detained were suspected of manufacturing improvised explosive devices and selling them to local street gangs. During separate raids north of Musayyib, near Lutafiyah, Marines detained two leaders of an insurgent cell and an individual suspected of engaging in anti- Iraqi activity. Another raid led to the arrest of 28 anti-Iraqi fighters who were targeted for acts of terrorism against Iraqi citizens. Marines operating in the northern sector also captured nine suspected insurgents in a series of raids near Yusufiyah. (Compiled from MFINR.) Air Force Aircraft Join Fallujah Offensive
As part of Multinational Force-Iraq, the Airmen joined coalition partners and U.S. Marines in the offensive. Shortly after midnight, an Air Force aircraft supported a Marine element and struck a preplanned target with precision weapons. The strike was against known anti-Iraqi fighting barricaded positions in the northeastern part of the city, officials said. About 30 minutes later, Air Force aircraft also supported a Marine element and destroyed several known barricaded fighting positions. This preplanned mission occurred in the southeast, officials said. Later in the afternoon, an Air Force aircraft destroyed two fortified buildings in the southeastern part of the city being occupied by armed insurgents. This strike on the preplanned target also supported a Marine element. That evening, an Air Force aircraft destroyed barricaded fighting positions in the northern part of the city. The strike on the preplanned target supported a Marine element. Since Nov. 1, multinational forces recovered and destroyed 129 mortars, 42 artillery shells, 38 rocket-propelled grenades, 12 rockets, seven mines, 126 detonators, 350 electronic timers, 16 blasting caps, 14 grenades, three sticks of dynamite, eight AK-47 semi-automatic rifles and more than a thousand rounds of ammunition. (Courtesy of U.S. Central Command) Insurgent
Barricades Targeted As
U.S. military and Iraqi security forces stepped up offensive operations against insurgent strongholds in Fallujah overnight by attacking several fortified fighting positions in the city. Marines with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, with the help of Air Force bombers using precision-guided munitions, destroyed several barricaded positions in the northeastern part of the city. A second offensive operation by the Air Force and Marine Corps targeted insurgent barricades in the southeast. During both operations, several "known" anti-Iraqi fighting positions were destroyed, military officials said. Military officials in Baghdad also reported today that several weapons stockpiles were recovered and destroyed this week. On Nov. 3, 1st Infantry Division soldiers and Iraqi National Guardsmen found two weapons hideouts near Duluiyah. Weapons found included a 30-caliber machine gun, three rocket-propelled grenade rounds, 16 60 mm mortars, three 4.2-inch rockets, 21 107 mm rockets, two mines, 70 blocks of plastic explosives, one bag of propellant and an assortment of grenades and ammunition. Iraqi National Guardsmen discovered a weapons cache nearby containing 9,000 rounds. The weapons and munitions were taken to a Multinational Force Iraq facility for disposal. Since Nov. 1, military officials report that Multinational forces in western Iraq have recovered and destroyed 129 mortars, 39 artillery shells, 37 RPGs, 12 rockets, seven mines, 126 detonators, 350 electronic timers, 16 blasting caps, and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Elsewhere in Iraq, an attack by anti-Iraqi forces was foiled when a 1st Infantry Division patrol engaged a vehicle loaded with explosives near Taji at about 5 p.m. Nov. 3. The patrol noticed the vehicle approaching at high speed and fired warning shots. Military officials said the vehicle then accelerated and crossed into the northbound lane in a hostile, aggressive manner. The patrol engaged the vehicle with crew-served weapons and an MK 19 grenade launcher. The vehicle exploded, leaving a crater in the road. Explosive ordnance personnel estimated the vehicle contained at least 17 122 mm rounds. |
