- Title: IRAQ: THE U.S. MILITARY HAS DEPLOYED MORE THAN 3,000 TROOPS TO FULLAJA.
- Date: 5th June 2003
- Summary: (EU) FALLUJA, IRAQ (JUNE 5, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/LV OF DOZENS OF ARMOURED VEHICLES CARRYING U.S. SECOND BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM DRIVING TO FALLUJA FROM BAGHDAD, PART OF A CONTINGENT OF 4,000 U.S. TROOPS DEPLOYED TO Falluja (3 SHOTS) 0.13 2. SLV OF VEHICLES ENTERING NEW "CAMP SPARTAN" 0.18 3. CU SIGN FOR CAMP 0.21 4. SLV/SV OF SOLDIERS MOVING EQUIPMENT INTO CAMP (3 SHOTS) 0.33 5. MCU (English) U.S. ARMY SPECIALIST TERRY MARTIN, SAYING: "You don't have the military support here like you do in Baghdad. Everywhere you go in Baghdad there is an Abraham sitting on the corner, or a Bradley. Here you don't have that - I mean they have free range to do what they want. Plus we are working in open areas, we are not in the concealed area of the city." 0.48 6. LV/SLV OF HUMVEE AND TANKS MOVING AROUND IN THE DESERT CAMP (3 SHOTS) 1.02 7. LV/SV/LAS OF NEWLY DEPLOYED TANKS MOVING IN CAMP/SOLDIERS IN TANK (4 SHOTS) 1.23 8. MCU (English) U.S. ARMY COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR OTIS SMITH, SAYING: "Well, it would be more of present patrols on foot and with smaller vehicles - not necessarily a lot of tanks or Bradleys, there will be some of those vehicles in a static position doing security." 1.42 9. SLV/SV OF U.S. ARMY CHECK POINT ON BUSY STREET (2 SHOTS) 1.52 10. MCU (Arabic) FALAH, RESIDENT, SAYING: "What the Americans do is provoke us daily. They are preventing Iraqi people to go directly to their homes -they have to make a detour of two kilometres." 2.01 11. LV CHILDREN STANDING IN FRONT OF DESTROYED POLICE STATION, RECENTLY SET ON FIRE 2.05 12. LV OF STREE WITH AMERICAN SOLDIERS 2.09 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 20th June 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: FALLUJA, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Reuters ID: LVA5QQ7JKD18XNAS49W1HMQK0M6T
- Story Text: The U.S. military has deployed more than 3,000 troops
to Falluja, bringing the total number of U.S. troops in and
around the restive town to an estimated 6,000.
Early on Thursday, a U.S. soldier was killed and five were
wounded when an assailant fired at least one rocket-propelled
grenade at them in front of a police station.
A U.S. soldier was killed and five were wounded when an
assailant fired at least one rocket-propelled grenade at them
in the restive Iraqi town of Falluja on Thursday (June 5).
The attack took place as the United States sent an
additional 3,000 soldiers from the 2nd Brigade and dozens of
tanks to the Sunni Muslim town to contain attacks on its
forces.
Residents said the soldiers were in front of the police
station when they were hit. The explosion made a hole in the
outside wall, and pieces of wreckage and intravenous drip bags
were on the ground. Blood stains were also visible on the wall
and ground.
The wounded soldiers, from the 3rd Armoured Cavalry
Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, were driven to a
military medical facility nearby.
U.S forces started reinforcing their presence around
Falluja - a former stronghold of Saddam Hussein's regime - on
Wednesday (June 4).
There are now an estimated 6,000 U.S. soldiers in and
around Falluja, including more than 4,000 from the 2nd
Brigade.
U.S. commanders said the troops were deployed to quell
increasing guerrilla-style attacks which have targeted US
forces in the predominantly Sunni Muslim area.
Falluja, 70 km (45 miles) west of Baghdad, is a cauldron
of hostility to U.S. forces. Last April 15 townspeople were
killed by U.S. forces in two separate incidents following the
fall of Saddam's regime.
Troops, boosted by more armoured cars, were out in force
in the streets. Soldiers searched houses as residents were
told to stay inside. The army plans to deploy more tanks in
the city.
U.S. army specialist Terry Martin said conditions in
Falluja were difficult.
"You don't have the military support here like you do in
Baghdad. Everywhere you go in Baghdad there is an
Abraham sitting on the corner, or a Bradley. Here you don't
have that - I mean they have free range to do what they want.
Plus we are working in open areas, we are not in the concealed
area of the city."
U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Otis Smith said troops
would be deployed in the streets.
"Well, it would be more of present patrols on foot and
with smaller vehicles - not necessarily a lot of tanks or
Bradleys, there will be some of those vehicles in a static
position doing security."
Last week, two U.S. soldiers were killed and nine wounded
when gunmen attacked an American army unit with
rocket-propelled grenades and small arms in the city.
The top U.S. commander in Iraq, Lieutenant General David
McKiernan, said on Wednesday that attacks on U.S. troops in
the area were the work of remnants of Saddam's government,
toppled by U.S. and British forces eight weeks ago.
Residents of Falluja disagreed, saying the United States
did not understand the nature of Falluja, or Iraq.
"What the Americans do is provoke us daily. They are
preventing Iraqi people to go directly to their homes -they
have to make a detour of two kilometres," said Falah.
In a separate incident, the U.S. military said two American
soldiers were also wounded in Baghdad when two attackers fired
on them as they were guarding a bank. No details were
available.
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