The Hindu : International : 100 killed in clashes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2004

International

International

100 killed in clashes

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA, SEPT. 13. In less than 24 hours after Sunday's attacks which killed more than 100 Iraqis, American warplanes have raided the Sunni stronghold of nearby Fallujah, killing at least 18 persons and injuring 29.

In the pre-dawn raid, the U.S. planes bombed different locations in the city, while ground troops positioned at the outskirts fired artillery shells. The Al-Jazeera television reported that seven persons including the driver of an ambulance, which was ferrying casualties, were killed in one of these attacks. In another neighbourhood, three homes were destroyed in the strike, resulting in an unspecified number of killings.

`Liberated zone'

Yet another explosion went off in a market place as the first stall owners had just begun to set up their stalls for the day, wounding several people and shattering windows, eyewitnesses said.

Fallujah has been subjected to repeated air raids in recent months and the latest attack has resulted in an exodus of hundreds of families from the strife-torn city. The city had virtually become a "liberated zone" after the U.S. troops withdrew in April and handed over security to a local force. Faced with the stiff Iraqi resistance, the U.S. has also lost its grip over the neighbouring towns of Ramadi, Samaara and Baquba.

But with elections for an Iraqi constituent assembly slated for January 2005, U.S. forces are making a fresh bid to regain as much control as possible over guerilla strongholds so that polls can take place.

Despite the intent, there is a realisation in occupied Iraq that re-establishing hold over Fallujah in the coming months may not be possible.

In an interview published in several newspapers today, the U.S.-appointed interim Prime Minister, Iyad Allawi, has said that elections would still be held, even if the people of Fallujah are unable to participate in them.

"If for any reason 300,000 people cannot have an election, cannot vote (that)... is not going to alter 25 million people voting." If the elections were prevented in Fallujah, its inhabitants could vote later, he said.

Efforts to free hostages

Efforts to seek the release of the two kidnapped Italian women gathered momentum, with the Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini, visiting Kuwait today.

The kidnappers have threatened to kill the two women, Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, unless Italy immediately announces the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq. Mr. Frattini is scheduled to hold talks with Kuwait's leaders, besides visiting the Grand Mosque where he is expected to appeal for the hostages' release.

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