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Marines in Fallujah Respond to Mortar Fire

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2004 -- U.S. Marines used tanks and artillery fire July 29 to respond to enemy attacks on their position near Fallujah, Iraq.

No Americans were killed or injured in the exchange near Fallujah, and officials had no information on enemy casualties.

According to a news release from Multinational Force Iraq, the Marines from 1st Marine Expeditionary Force had been repeatedly attacked with mortars, rocket- propelled grenades, machine guns and small arms before returning fire.

The return fire was directed at enemy mortarmen observed firing from several hundred yards away from the Marines' position. The mortarmen were seen fleeing the scene after the Marines returned fire, and, officials reported, enemy activity temporarily ceased.

Iraqi police and National Guard forces "provided support to the operations," the release said. The forces from 1st MEF also used artillery and close-air support on enemy fighters who fled to buildings near the eastern edge of Fallujah.

In a separate incident, a Polish soldier was killed and eight others injured in an improvised-explosive-device attack on their patrol northeast of Madlul July 29. The injured soldiers were evacuated to military medical facilities in Karbala and Baghdad, where they are listed in stable condition.

Elsewhere, Multinational Force Iraq troops and Iraqi National Guardsmen captured five men suspected of manufacturing car bombs. The coalition forces found four improvised explosive devices, identification cards and car bomb- making materials, according to a news release from military officials in Baghdad.

The incident took place during a cordon-and-search operation in Baghdad July 29. The suspects were taken to a Multinational Force base for questioning.

In other news from Iraq:

• Iraqi National Guard soldiers in Baqubah captured an enemy fighter after four individuals fired on the gate of the Civil Military Operations Center there today, officials said. The other three fighters escaped, and the captured enemy fighter was turned over to Iraqi police.

• Iraqi police found three hand grenades, wires and 150 pounds of explosives when they stopped and searched a suspicious vehicle in Baghdad July 29. Iraqi explosive-ordnance experts cordoned off the area, and the individuals in the car were detained for questioning.

• Iraqi National Guard soldiers and Multinational Force Iraq troops on a combined patrol discovered a surface-to-air missile in the Al Rabea neighborhood of Mosul July 29. The guardsmen secured the location and turned the missile over to the Multinational Force troops.

• American soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division captured a suspected weapons dealer near Kirkuk July 29. Officials said the individual, named Falah, was suspected of selling weapons from the trunk of his car.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2004/n07302004_2004073002.html