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FALLUJAH, Iraq - American forces pushed deeper
into the last remaining insurgent stronghold in
Fallujah yesterday.
But as they were occupying most of the besieged
city, the Iraqi government rushed massive
reinforcements to Mosul, where police lost control
in the face of insurgent attacks.
Lt. Gen. John Sattler, com- mander of the 1st Marine
Expeditionary Force, said U.S. and Iraqi forces now
occupy about 80 percent of Fallujah, and clearing
operations are continuing to find caches of weapons
and ammunition.
In Washington, President Bush met yesterday with his
top ally in the war, British Prime Minister Tony
Blair, and warned that with upcoming Iraqi
elections, "the desperation of the killers will grow
and the violence could escalate." But he said
victory in Iraq would be a blow to terrorists
everywhere.
Armed militants in Mosul, Iraq's third-largest city,
attacked the main headquarters of a key Kurdish
political party and assas- sinated a senior police
officer as the governor asked for security forces to
stabilize the situation.
Saadi Ahmed, an official with the Patriotic Union of
Kurdistan, said an hourlong gun battle broke out
yesterday between gunmen and the guards at the main
headquarters. Guards killed six attackers and
captured four others before the rest fled.
On Thursday, guerrillas attacked at least five
police stations and political party offices there in
what could be a bid to relieve pressure on their
allies in Fallujah.
The unrest prompted the government to fire Mosul
police chief Brig. Gen. Mohammed Kheiri Barhawi,
said deputy Gov. Khissrou Gouran. The move followed
allegations by local officials that police abandoned
their positions and in some cases cooperated with
insurgents during Thursday's attacks.
Gov. Duraid Kashmoula said Mosul asked the Iraqi
government for help.
"We asked the central government in Baghdad (for
reinforcements) and God willing they should arrive
today," he said. Kashmoula said he believed "there's
infiltration among some [security] apparatuses from
the saboteurs."
About 250 National Guardsmen have been sent to Mosul
from near Iran, said Maj. Gen. Anwar Mohammed Amin,
an Iraqi National Guard official in the northern
area. More also are being sent from the northern
city of Irbil, he said.
In addition, four Iraqi National Guard units were
redeployed from bases near Syria, Gouran said. The
units consist of Kurds who used to be in a Kurdish
militia before being incorporated into the
government's security force.
The massive reinforcements indicated the security
situation in northern Iraq threatened to spiral out
of control.
Gouran also said gunmen tried to storm a food
distribution center in Mosul but were forced back by
National Guardsmen and security guards. The gunmen
were trying to destroy election registration cards
held at the center, Gouran said.
The city's anti-crime unit chief, police Brigadier
Mowaffaq Mohammed Dahham, was gunned down near his
house, which then was burned down, police officials
said on condition of anonymity.
Army and Marine units moved to tighten their
security cordon around the besieged city of Fallujah,
backed by FA-18s and AC-130 gunships.
The largest pocket of remaining resistance fighters
were cornered yesterday in the city's southwest as
airstrikes and strafing runs continued.
"The rout is on," said a 1st Cavalry Division
officer. "It won't be long now."
Iraqi forces are charged with searching every
building in Fallujah, working from north to south,
the military said.
In the city's north, U.S. forces report roving
squads of between three and five militants shooting
small-arms fire and moving easily through narrow
alleyways. Troops are finding numerous weapons
caches, the military said.
Troops have cut off all roads and bridges leading
out of the city and have turned back hundreds of men
trying to flee the city during the assault. Only
women, children and the elderly can leave.
The military says keeping men aged 15 to 55 from
leaving is key to the mission's success.
"If they're not carrying a weapon, you can't tell
who's who," said an officer with the 1st Cavalry
Division.
Since the offensive started early Monday, 22
American troops have been killed and about 170
wounded, of which 40 returned to battle, Sattler
said. About 600 insurgents have been killed, the
military said.
In April, Fallujah militants fought Marines to a
standstill during a three-week siege, which the Bush
administration called off amid public criticism over
civilian casualties.
The current offensive was begun so the government
could hold national elections in January, although
Sunni clerics have called a boycott to protest the
Fallujah operation.
Many, if not most, of Fallujah's 200,000-300,000
residents fled the city before the assault. It is
impossible to determine how many civilians not
involved in the insurgency were killed.
Commanders said they believe 1,200-3,000 fighters
were in Fallujah before the offensive.
U.S. officials believe the al-Qaida-linked terror
movement of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who claimed
responsibility for many of the kidnappings and
beheadings of foreign hostages, used Fallujah as a
base. They said they believe al-Zarqawi may have
slipped away before the offensive.
At a U.S. camp outside Fallujah, Maj. Gen. Richard
Natonski, commander of the 1st Marine Division, said
the operation was running "ahead of schedule," but
he would not predict how many days of fighting lay
ahead.
http://www.timesdispatch.com
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