IRAQ: UNITED STATES MARINES AND IRAQI NATIONAL GUARDS SEARCH FALLUJA FOR MILITANT LEADER ABU MUSAB AL-ZARQAWI

Record ID: 338312

  • Title: IRAQ: UNITED STATES MARINES AND IRAQI NATIONAL GUARDS SEARCH FALLUJA FOR MILITANT LEADER ABU MUSAB AL-ZARQAWI
  • Date: 25th January 2005
  • Summary: (W4) FALLUJA, IRAQ (JANUARY 24, 2005)(REUTERS) 1. SLV U.S. MARINES CONDUCTING FOOT PATROL; MV U.S. MARINES ENTERING HOUSE FOR SEARCH 0.08 2. SLV MAN WITH HIS FAMILY SITTING NEAR THEIR DESTROYED HOUSE, U.S. MARINES WALKING PAST 0.12 3. SLV THROUGH BARBED WIRE OF PEOPLE LINING UP FOR AID AT A CENTRE MANNED BY U.S. MARINES AND IRAQI NATIONAL G
  • Embargoed: 9th February 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: FALLUJA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA2OOVYXS1QR7TDUNT2VWVOSTLY
  • Story Text: U.S. Marines and Iraqi National Guards search
    Falluja for militant leader Zarqawi.

    U.S. and Iraqi forces said they were hunting leading
    militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi on Monday (January 24) in the
    former rebel stronghold of Falluja after a tip-off that he
    may have entered the city.

    A U.S. Marine spokesman said they hear lots of rumours
    "but we are not dismissing this".

    Zarqawi has a 25 million U.S. dollar bounty on his head
    and has criticised the planned January 30 elections as a
    plot by the United States and Shi'ite allies against Sunni
    Muslims, who were dominant during Saddam Hussein's rule.

    Falluja was devastated by a big U.S.-led attack in
    November and on Monday residents lined up to collect badly
    needed food supplies brought in by United States Marines
    and Iraqi National Guards.

    Since getting the go-ahead from coalition forces on
    December 23 to return to the city, nearly 20,000 residents
    displaced by the fighting have gone back to their homes,
    said the U.S. military.

    While most parts of the city remain devastated,
    election posters promising people a brighter future could
    be seen in the streets on MOnday. Polling stations have
    been set up for the January 30 vote, but their locations
    will be kept secret until shortly before voting because of
    security fears.

    It's hard to promote democracy in Falluja, a largely
    anti-American city where most people are focussed on
    rebuilding bombed-out and burned homes, not party lists.

    "I do not care about the election," said Falluja
    resident Saad Sabbar, as he waited for his turn to collect
    aid.

    "Let them bring anyone (to power). The most important
    thing to me is to provide food for my family."
    Schools and medical clinics have been all but destroyed
    and are unable to function properly as the city is still
    suffering from electricity and water shortages.

    Around 70 percent of the houses and shops were
    destroyed and those still standing are riddled with
    bullets.

    The assault in November was designed to root out
    insurgents and stabilise Falluja, Iraq's most rebellious
    city, before the election.

    A solid turnout would boost the credibility of the
    polls and bolster the U.S.-backed interim government's
    assertions that democracy will defeat a raging insurgency.


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