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Combined forces control most of Fallujah

November 15, 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, Nov. 15, 2004) - Iraqi forces and Multi-National Force-Iraq have wrested most of Fallujah from insurgent control, but operations are not over.

Early Nov. 15, combined forces continued to clear buildings and mosques of weapons and explosives stockpiled by insurgents and were beginning to restore stability and order for Fallujah's law-abiding citizens, reported the U.S. Central Command.

In the last 24 hours, Multi-National Force aircraft flew several close air support missions, attacking anti-Iraqi forces in numerous buildings throughout the city. Multi-National forces only take action against targets after credible intelligence and with extreme care to minimize harm to innocent people, CENTCOM officials said.

One mission early Nov. 15 attacked a bunker complex in the southernmost unpopulated section of Fallujah after Multi-National forces discovered an underground bunker and steel-reinforced tunnels. The tunnels connected a ring of facilities filled with weapons, an anti-aircraft artillery gun, bunk beds, a truck and a suspected weapons cache.

As Iraqi and U.S. forces clear and secure neighborhoods, they are seeking out those in need of medical care. This information is being relayed through loudspeaker, leaflets and face-to-face contact, officials said.

Medical assistance is being coordinated, and assessment teams have arrived. Fallujah General Hospital is available for use and its staff is ready and eager to treat patients, according to CENTCOM. In addition, a second hospital in eastern Fallujah is seeing patients, and Multi-National forces have re-supplied the hospital with water and fuel.

Ambulances and civilians have also been evacuated to other Iraqi medical facilities to provide the best possible care, officials said.

About 100 kilometers northeast of Fallujah, U.S. Soldiers in the city of Baqubah were attacked today by insurgents using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms.

U.S. Army 1st Infantry Division Soldiers were patrolling near the city's Mufrek traffic circle and police station when they came under fire, some of which came from a local mosque.

(Editor's note: Information provide by a U.S. Centeral Command news release and the American Forces Press Service.)