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US gets tough on insurgents
22/04/2004 19:19 - (SA)
Fallujah - A United States marines general accused at least 200 foreign fighters of stoking tensions in the flashpoint Iraqi city of Fallujah and said on THursday only days were left for insurgents to turn in their weapons or risk renewed US attacks.
Lieutenant-General James Conway, commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary corps, said only "junk" had been handed in during a weapons amnesty announced on Monday as part of a ceasefire deal.
His comments came a day after marines claimed to have killed 36 insurgents in a long battle in the volatile city west of Baghdad.
"We were not pleased at all with the turning-in that we saw yesterday, the volume that probably amounted to a truckful," he said.
He characterised the weapons handed over as "junk, junk I think that I wouldn't begin to ask my marines to fire. It probably wouldn't be safe".
Conway said the insurgents had "days, not weeks" to hand in their weapons.
'Catalyst for the troubles'
He said he believed there were at least 200 foreign fighters inside Fallujah.
"We think they are the hard core and have been the catalyst for the vast majority of the troubles in al-Anbar province.
"What happens next is in the hands of the negotiators," he said, questioning whether they had the power to deliver.
The ceasefire was put in place after the bloodiest fighting since the US-led invasion of Iraq and the ousting of Saddam Hussein a year ago, sparked by the killing of four US contractors in the city. Two of them were later mutilated.
Since the Americans laid siege to Fallujah in early April, more than 600 Iraqis have been killed, according to hospital sources, and scores of marines.
A spokesman for the Sunni Muslim clerics who have been involved in the negotiations, claimed US forces' compliance with the ceasefire agreement was unsatisfactory.
Wednesday morning's battle started when up to 60 insurgents attacked US marines with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades in northwest Fallujah, the US-led coalition said in a statement.
"Marines responded to the attacks with overwhelming small-arms and mortar fire, as well as close-air support, killing 36 anti-Iraqi forces," it added. The military said earlier three marines were wounded in the battle.
Problems with food supplies
The return of the families who fled the fighting was again suspended on Thursday because of tensions in the city. At least 50 families returned on Tuesday, but only about seven on Wednesday.
An armoured column of about 1 000 soldiers from the 1st Battalion 16th Infantry regiment reached the outskirts of Karma on Thursday, 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 a correspondent.
US bases west of Baghdad started rationing food from Sunday because of dwindling supplies caused by insurgent attacks.
- AFP
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