36 insurgents killed in Fallujah fighting

FALLUJAH – Thirty-six insurgents were killed during fierce fighting in Fallujah that threatened a shaky ceasefire in the besieged Iraqi city, according to a US-led coalition statement issued yesterday.

The battle on Wednesday morning started when up to 60 insurgents attacked US marines with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades in northwest Fallujah. “Marines responded to the attacks with overwhelming small arms and mortar fire, as well as close-air support, killing 36 anti-Iraqi forces,” said the statement.The military reported Wednesday that nine insurgents were killed and three marines were wounded in the battle.A ceasefire deal, calling for a weapons amnesty and joint patrols in the powderkeg Sunni Muslim city, was put in place Monday but the coalition said clashes threatened to derail the peace initiatives.The weapons turnover had been lacklustre with only a few old and rusty weapons given up, a senior military coalition official said yesterday.”We have to have those heavy weapons that are killing marines, that are killing civilians,” the official said.He said clashes on Wednesday were “very intense but very localised” and that the marines were honouring the ceasefire.”It would appear there is some honouring on both sides.”The return of families to the city was again suspended yesterday because of the tensions in the city.Since the Americans laid siege to Fallujah in early April, fighting has killed more than 600 Iraqis, according to hospital sources.Scores of marines were also killed in the bloodiest fighting since the US-led invasion of Iraq and the ousting of Saddam Hussein a year ago.An armoured column of about 1 000 soldiers from the 1st Battalion 16th Infantry Regiment reached the outskirts of Karma yesterday, a small village six kilometres north of Fallujah, in an attempt to clear food delivery routes from Baghdad to US bases to the west, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene.An attempt to clear the route last week met with fierce fighting that left 100 insurgents and one US soldier killed, according to the coalition.US bases west of Baghdad started rationing food from Sunday because of dwindling supplies caused by insurgent attacks.US troops were also searching homes outside Fallujah yesterday and Marine Corps helicopters were seen flying overhead.- Nampa-AFP”Marines responded to the attacks with overwhelming small arms and mortar fire, as well as close-air support, killing 36 anti-Iraqi forces,” said the statement.The military reported Wednesday that nine insurgents were killed and three marines were wounded in the battle.A ceasefire deal, calling for a weapons amnesty and joint patrols in the powderkeg Sunni Muslim city, was put in place Monday but the coalition said clashes threatened to derail the peace initiatives.The weapons turnover had been lacklustre with only a few old and rusty weapons given up, a senior military coalition official said yesterday.”We have to have those heavy weapons that are killing marines, that are killing civilians,” the official said.He said clashes on Wednesday were “very intense but very localised” and that the marines were honouring the ceasefire.”It would appear there is some honouring on both sides.”The return of families to the city was again suspended yesterday because of the tensions in the city.Since the Americans laid siege to Fallujah in early April, fighting has killed more than 600 Iraqis, according to hospital sources.Scores of marines were also killed in the bloodiest fighting since the US-led invasion of Iraq and the ousting of Saddam Hussein a year ago.An armoured column of about 1 000 soldiers from the 1st Battalion 16th Infantry Regiment reached the outskirts of Karma yesterday, a small village six kilometres north of Fallujah, in an attempt to clear food delivery routes from Baghdad to US bases to the west, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene.An attempt to clear the route last week met with fierce fighting that left 100 insurgents and one US soldier killed, according to the coalition.US bases west of Baghdad started rationing food from Sunday because of dwindling supplies caused by insurgent attacks.US troops were also searching homes outside Fallujah yesterday and Marine Corps helicopters were seen flying overhead.- Nampa-AFP