Continued threats against Falluja if Zarqawi is not handed over

The interim Iraqi government has renewed its warning that it will launch a military attack against Falluja if the city will not hand over the Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his followers. A statement issued by the minister of state for national security affairs Qasem Dawoud said that military action is the last solution and that the door is still open before the negotiations.

Witnesses in Falluja said that a huge explosion hit a region surrounding an American military base outside the city. Prior to that, violent explosions took place between the American forces and the gunmen in the Golan quarters in Falluja.

The American forces also launched new raids at positions inside al-Askari quarters at the eastern entrance of Falluja. One Iraqi was killed inside his car during confrontations between the American forces and gunmen in that area and one military Hummer vehicle was destroyed. Other 6 Iraqis were injured because of the American planes bombardment inside al-Askari quarters.

Not far from Falluja, one American military vehicle was destroyed in an attack by shelling launched by gunmen at one American convoy between al-Khaledeyah and al-Ramadi to the west of Baghdad. Unidentified persons today morning bombarded a headquarters for al-Ratba border center near the border with Jordan.

Meantime, a source in the Iraqi police announced that nine police members in Karbala were killed as they were returning back from a training course in Jordan in an ambush implanted on Saturday by gunmen in al-Teifeh town to the south of Baghdad.

In al-Kout, one Iraqi was killed and another injured when one mortar shelling fell on their house situated to the west of the city. Two Iraqis and one British were injured in a landmine explosion in al-Basra. Two cars that work for a British company working in mines removal were blown up and this resulted in injuring their occupants.