American forces enhance positions in Falluja, loss of ten soldiers
Iraq-USA, Military, 11/10/2004

The spokesman for the American army in Iraq Gen. Thomas Meits announced the killing of ten soldiers from the American marines and two Iraqi soldiers since the beginning of the large scale attack against Falluja city on Monday.

Meantime, the Marines reinforced their positions in the downtown of Falluja after its unit controlled the main street which goes through the city from the east to the west. People of the city indicated a decrease in the pace of fighting with the fall of evening after one day of violent bombardment and fighting.

A spokesman for the marines in Falluja said that tanks of its forces positioned in the downtown of Falluja, noting that the American forces killed 20 gunmen in its operations half of them at the hands of the snipers during the advancement of the forces towards the center of the city and arresting many others including two Egyptians.

While the American army said that its forces are in the heart of Falluja and took positions there, Iraqi medical sources said that at least 15 civilian Iraqis were killed in the attack against the city which is situated to the west of Baghdad.

The fighting took place in al-Askarai, al-Jagheifi, al-Naziza areas and the Golan Quarters to the north west of the city where the American forces admitted it had met fierce resistance.

The official at the US Pentagon Gen. Thomas Meits expected that what he described as the leader of the rebels including Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had left the city.

Meantime, the interim Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi called on the gunmen in Falluja to drop their weapons and permit the Iraqi forces to enter the city peacefully. The spokesman for Allawi, Thaer al-Naqib, said he is contacting leaders of the tribes in all al-Anbar cities, noting that they will announce in a statement their "support for the government."

Allawi also appointed a commander general for the Iraqi forces in falluja. A statement from the office of the Interim prime minister said that Lt. gen. Abdul Qader Muhammad Jasem will remain in his post until a civilian administration is formed for the governorate of al-Anbar after the end of the military operations. The statement explained that Maj. Gen, Shaker Saleim Hassan was appointed as a deputy for the governor.

Previous Stories:
  Rumsfeld expects difficult battles, scores killed in American bombardment in Falluja hospital   (11/9/2004)
  American forces seizes Falluja hospital   (11/8/2004)
  Washington Post: US concern over disappearance of 4,000 missiles in Iraq   (11/8/2004)
  Criticism US policy in Iraq   (10/30/2004)
  Two American soldiers killed in Iraq   (10/29/2004)
  United States allocates $871 million to support iraqi elections   (10/23/2004)

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