- Title: IRAQ: U.S. WARPLANES LAUNCH MAJOR ATTACKS ON REBEL-HELD FALLUJA.
- Date: 15th October 2004
- Summary: (W2) FALLUJA, IRAQ (OCTOBER 14-15, 2004) (REUTERS) ++NIGHT VIEWS++ 1. LV: AUDIO OF EXPLOSIONS AND FIRING IN THE NIGHT SKY; FLAMES IN THE DISTANCE FROM CARS ON FIRE 0.46 (W2) FALLUJA, IRAQ (OCTOBER 15, 2004) (REUTERS) ++DAY SHOTS++ 2. LV/GV/LV: MOSQUE IN THE DISTANCE AND CITY; SMOKE IN THE SKY (3 SHOTS) 1.17 3. GV: CAR DESTROYED IN THE ATTACKS (2 SHOTS) 1.43 4. CU/TILT/GV: PEOPLE IN THE STREET 1.57 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FALLUJA RESIDENT SAYING: "Last night there was random bombing. A family tried to get out during the bombing with their car but they were hit twice." 2.12 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FALLUJA RESIDENT SHOWING A ROCKET BURIED INTO THE WALL SAYING: "This house was attacked. It's a civilian house. There are no Mujahideen in here. You see Mujahideen here? There are only families." 2.26 7. CU: ROCKET BURIED IN THE WALL 2.33 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 30th October 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: FALLUJA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVADFP1T8W1MHQX2SGSIYI1X4LS1
- Story Text: US. warplanes launched sustained and fierce attacks
on the rebel-held Iraqi town of Falluja on Thursday night
and Friday morning.
U.S. warplanes launched sustained and fierce attacks
on the rebel-held Iraqi town of Falluja on Thursday night
(October 14) and Friday morning (October 15).
The U.S. military said in a statement it carried out a
further two airstrikes on what they said were "command and
control sites" of followers of Jordanian-born militant Abu
Musab Zarqawi.
It said fortifications had been built around the site
they attacked and that the planes struck at 2.38am
(2300gmt).
It had struck at suspected targets earlier in the day
and negotiations to end the fighting then collapsed.
Another statement said the U.S. forces had destroyed
"illegal checkpoints" set up by Zarqawi followers in
Falluja between 5 and 8.30pm in the evening on Thursday.
They said civilians had been stopped by militants at
the checkpoints and that intelligence sources told them
people had been taken hostage from the checkpoints and
later executed.
Residents on Friday morning said explosions could be
heard in the attacks, a day after interim Prime Minister
Iyad Allawi warned the town would face an offensive unless
it handed over Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and
his followers.
There was no immediate word on casualties.
"Last night there was random bombing. A family tried to
get out during the bombing with their car but they were hit
twice," said one resident.
"This house was attacked. Its a civilian house. There
are no Mujahideen in here. You see Mujahideen here? There
are only families," said another resident.
U.S. warplanes have been attacking suspected guerrilla
positions in Falluja every night in a bid to root out
militants.
But residents said Thursday's bombing, which follows
the breakdown of peace talks between the interim
administration and representatives of the city's 300,000
residents, was much fiercer than previous operations.
Witnesses said helicopters were also attacking parts of
the town, which the interim government hopes to capture
before elections scheduled for January.
Zarqawi's group has claimed responsibility for twin
suicide bombings on Baghdad's fortified Green Zone -- home
of the Iraqi administration -- that killed 10 people,
including four Americans, hours before the latest attacks.
At least five people, including a 13-year-old boy, died
in a series of earlier strikes on Falluja Thursday.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
