-------------------------------------------------------- http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/111204Y.shtml Falluja Troops Under Heavy Fire BBC Thursday 11 November 2004 US marines in Falluja have come under sustained attack from several different directions in the headquarters they have set up in the Iraqi city. The BBC's Paul Wood, who is at the scene, said there was sniper fire from four or five points on the horizon. The insurgents may have regrouped, he says, after US-led troops took over large parts of the city. Another BBC correspondent says troops have pulled back from the city hospital, captured on Sunday night. Meanwhile, two US Cobra helicopters were hit by small-arms and rocket fire in separate incidents and forced to land. The crews of both aircraft were rescued unhurt, the US military said, but some reports suggest one of the pilots was hit with small-arms fire. In Baghdad, at least 17 people were killed in a car bomb in a busy shopping area on Thursday morning. In other developments in Iraq: US-led troops find three Iraqi contractors and an Iraqi taxi-driver in Falluja believed to be held as hostages Masked insurgents in the northern city of Mosul attack several police stations and loot weapons and ammunition, before setting at least two of them on fire Kirkuk Governor Abdulrahman Mustafa escapes an assassination attempt in the northern city, but several people are injured in the bomb attack on his convoy. House-to-House Our correspondent says the US marines have had to call in four air strikes as they came under heavy fire in central Falluja. Insurgents appear to have got to the perimeter of the headquarters, he says. At the same time, a rifle company of marines has been pushing out into the city, going literally house to house to try to clear out the insurgents. But the company came under continuous fire as soon as it left the base. US-led forces said earlier on Thursday they had rid more than 70% of the city of insurgents in the battle. Pockets of Resistance The rebels are said to be disorganised and leaderless, but still dangerous. The BBC's Paul Wood, who is embedded with US marines in Falluja, says pockets of resistance remain even in areas the US and Iraqi forces have captured. Troops are coming under sniper fire all over the city, he says. Villages to the west of the city, thought by the US to be clear of insurgents, are also reporting sniper, mortar and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Concerns are growing about the humanitarian situation in and around Falluja. Red Crescent spokeswoman Firdoos al-Ubadi said Falluja was a "disaster", with doctors unable to reach most Iraqi casualties and medical equipment virtually non-existent. There is little information on the number of military or civilian casualties in Falluja. ------- Two Marine Helicopters Shot Down in Iraq The Associated Press Thursday 11 November 2004 NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq - The U.S. military said Thursday two U.S. Marine attack helicopters were shot down in separate incidents near Fallujah and their crews were rescued without injuries. Both Super Cobra helicopters were hit with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire and were forced to make hard landings, the military said. One of the choppers was hit 9 miles northwest of Fallujah, the other was hit a mile southeast of the city. The pilots were not injured, and other helicopters rescued them from the area, the military said. Military quick reaction forces were sent to secure the sites. The helicopters normally carry two-man crews. ------- © : t r u t h o u t 2004 -- ============================================================ If you find this material useful, you might want to check out our website (http://cyberjournal.org) or try out our low-traffic, moderated email list by sending a message to: •••@••.••• You are encouraged to forward any material from the lists or the website, provided it is for non-commercial use and you include the source and this disclaimer. Richard Moore (rkm) Wexford, Ireland "Global Transformation: Whey We Need It And How We Can Achieve It", current draft: http://www.ratical.org/co-globalize/rkmGlblTrans.html _____________________________ "...the Patriot Act followed 9-11 as smoothly as the suspension of the Weimar constitution followed the Reichstag fire." - Srdja Trifkovic There is not a problem with the system. The system is the problem. 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