Military

By U.S. Army Capt. Steve Alvarez / Multinational Security Transition Command - Iraq, Public Affairs

FALLUJAH, Iraq, Nov. 10, 2004 — Multinational and Iraqi officials here stated Nov. 10 that forces had fought their way through half of the city, including the Jolan District, suspected of being the epicenter of insurgent activity in the city. The combined Iraqi and multinational force operation had encountered light resistance along the way into the heart of the city, running into small pockets of fighters as they made their way through the restive town.

Forces of Operation Al Fajr, Arabic for “dawn,” have retaken key civic buildings, including Fallujah’s mayoral office, which was taken over by multinational and Iraqi forces at about 4 a.m. today. Several mosques, key bridges and other military and civic buildings have also been retaken. Insurgent reinforced strongholds in and around the city have been destroyed, including insurgent defensive positions on the outskirts of the city.

Reports from combat units indicate that several weapons and explosives caches have been found, as well as car bombs and improvised explosive devices, also known as IEDs.
Yesterday, Iraq’s Prime Minister Ayad Allawi announced that Maj. Gen. Abdul Qader Mohammed Jassim, the Iraqi ground forces commander in Fallujah, was appointed as the interim military governor of the Western Anbar province until a civilian can take control of the area once order is restored. The province includes Fallujah.

The appointment comes as multinational and Iraqi forces continue their operation “on schedule and as planned,” officials here stated.

Reports from field commanders confirmed that in the third day of operations multinational and Iraqi forces had suffered 11

multinational and two Iraqi casualties since fighting began to retake the city. Officials here reported that nine Iraqi soldiers and Ministry of Interior personnel had been wounded in the past 24 hours.

“Foreign fighters are the real terrorists here,” Qader said as he received a battle update.

Multinational and Iraqi military officials summarized the Iraqi military’s activity in the past 24 hours of the operation:

• The 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade of the Iraqi Intervention Force attacked the city as an independent battalion, maneuvering under its own control, but in coordination with the multinational effort. The 1st Battalion is now in control of its own sector in the city.
  
• The 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade of the IIF attacked and seized the Hydra Mosque along with U.S. Marines of Regimental Combat Team 7
  
• The IIF’s 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, is attacking targets along with U.S. Marine forces from the 1st RCT
  
• The 5th Battalion, 3rd Brigade of the Iraqi Army seized Al Tawfiq Mosque with U.S. Marines from the 7th RCT
  
• The 6th Battalion, 3rd Brigade of the Iraqi Army is manning vehicle check points along roads in the heart of the city alongside of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team
  
• The Iraqi Police Service’s Emergency Response Unit is also at the Hydra Mosque with IIF forces

“We have no information of anyone [civilians] being hurt and we have no reports of anyone trying to get out of the city,.” a U.S. Marine Corps official said.