Violence erupts in volatile Fallujah

FALLUJAH – United States Marines and Iraqi guerrillas exchanged heavy fire in two districts of the besieged town of Fallujah yesterday, local residents said.

Clashes in the Golan and Shuhada districts broke out around 11h20 (07h20 GMT) and heavy explosions were continuing an hour later. Insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades.The troops used heavy machineguns mounted on vehicles.Local residents said the clashes appeared to have started when US forces probed into the northern areas of Fallujah.US officers had no immediate comment on the incidents.Marines have been encircling the Sunni Muslim town, 50km west of Baghdad, for three weeks and are demanding that insurgents lay down their heavy weapons.A two-week-old ceasefire deal has been punctuated by frequent clashes.The US-led occupation has extended until Tuesday an offer to let fighters hand over arms but the authorities have steered clear of imposing a clear ultimatum under which they would threaten to launch a new offensive if a deadline were passed.The US, which is preparing to hand back formal sovereignty to Iraqis in two months time, is clearly anxious to avoid the bloodshed in a built-up area that might result from a major battle in the town.But officials are also reluctant to leave the impression that guerrillas can strike with impunity.The crackdown on the city, which had been loyal to deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, was launched after the public killing and mutilation of four American security guards.Local doctors say about 600 people have been killed in fighting and many more have fled the city, which is home to 300 000 people.Many in the once dominant Sunni minority are anxious about their future in an Iraq controlled by the long oppressed Shi’a Muslims, who account for 60 per cent of the population.Coinciding with the awkward dilemma in Fallujah, US-led forces are also confronting a tense situation to the south of the capital, in the holy city of Najaf, where an anti-American Shi’a cleric has taken refuge with his private militia.- Nampa-ReutersInsurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades.The troops used heavy machineguns mounted on vehicles.Local residents said the clashes appeared to have started when US forces probed into the northern areas of Fallujah.US officers had no immediate comment on the incidents.Marines have been encircling the Sunni Muslim town, 50km west of Baghdad, for three weeks and are demanding that insurgents lay down their heavy weapons.A two-week-old ceasefire deal has been punctuated by frequent clashes.The US-led occupation has extended until Tuesday an offer to let fighters hand over arms but the authorities have steered clear of imposing a clear ultimatum under which they would threaten to launch a new offensive if a deadline were passed.The US, which is preparing to hand back formal sovereignty to Iraqis in two months time, is clearly anxious to avoid the bloodshed in a built-up area that might result from a major battle in the town.But officials are also reluctant to leave the impression that guerrillas can strike with impunity.The crackdown on the city, which had been loyal to deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, was launched after the public killing and mutilation of four American security guards.Local doctors say about 600 people have been killed in fighting and many more have fled the city, which is home to 300 000 people.Many in the once dominant Sunni minority are anxious about their future in an Iraq controlled by the long oppressed Shi’a Muslims, who account for 60 per cent of the population.Coinciding with the awkward dilemma in Fallujah, US-led forces are also confronting a tense situation to the south of the capital, in the holy city of Najaf, where an anti-American Shi’a cleric has taken refuge with his private militia.- Nampa-Reuters