Insurgents Attack From Mosque as Fallujah Peace Talks Continue
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, APRIL 20, 2004 -- Even as coalition and Iraqi officials are trying
to move forward with peace talks in Fallujah, U.S. Central Command reported
today that insurgents attacked coalition forces from a mosque in the city April
18.
A CENTCOM news release reported that anti-coalition forces fired on the crew of
an M1-A1 tank from a building next to the mosque. The tank crew returned fire,
destroying the building and killing an insurgent who was armed with a rocket-
propelled grenade, the news release said.
At the same time, CENTCOM reported, a nearby group of Marines came under sniper
fire from the minaret of the mosque. They returned fire, and no further hostile
fire came from the mosque, the news release said. Also in Fallujah on April 18,
anti-Iraqi forces repeatedly engaged Marines with small-arms fire, and after a
short battle, the Marines neutralized this threat, CENTCOM reported.
Today in Baghdad, senior Coalition Provisional Authority spokesman Dan Senor
emphasized that full-scale fighting would ensue if peace talks fail and
insurgents don't honor the agreed-upon cease-fire in Fallujah. "We
communicated to all parties (April 19) that we are very serious about these
talks," he said. "We are very serious about a peaceful resolution to the
situation in Fallujah, but everybody must recognize that in the absence of a
true cease-fire, major hostilities will return on short notice."
Meanwhile, Senor said, the coalition has begun working on implementing a number
of issues agreed upon in the cease-fire.
Those agreements include unfettered access to the Fallujah hospital, removal
and burial of the dead, provisions to allow food and medicine to isolated area
of the city, changing the curfew from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and allowing for the
passage of official ambulances into the city. The coalition also will begin
allowing some 50 Fallujian families per day back into the city.
Senor said critical components of the agreement include the turn-in of heavy
weapons and the resumption of regular joint patrols between coalition and Iraqi
Civil Defense Corps forces. He emphasized it's incumbent on all parties to work
toward the removal of foreign fighters and criminals who are using the city as
a base of operations for violence and terrorist acts in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Marines operating near the Iraqi border town of Husaybah came under
further attack by enemy forces April 19, CENTCOM reported. The Marines detained
two people after their vehicle attempted to run a checkpoint on a road leading
out of the city. During continued operations in the city, Marines have detained
up to 60 suspects, the news release said.
Marines operating near Ramadi raided a suspect building and recovered 40 82 mm
mortars, one 100 mm round, one Russian-made sniper rifle and 500 7.62 mm
rounds, the news release said. CENTCOM also reported that soldiers from the
Army's 1st Brigade Combat Team, assigned to the 1st Marine Division, captured
four enemy fighters from two separate locations in coordinated raids near
Ramadi. They recovered three AK-47 assault rifles, ammunition magazines, and
improvised explosive device and mortar equipment.
At a Baghdad news conference today, military spokesman Army Brig. Gen. Mark
Kimmitt said that the coalition and Iraqi police are investigating the shooting
deaths of two employees of the Al-Iraqiyah television network April 19 by U.S.
soldiers in Samara. Another person was wounded, and a fourth, an Iraqi police
officer, was unharmed, Kimmitt said.
Soldiers saw the individuals filming Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and Iraqi police
checkpoints, a coalition base and routes to and from the locations, and fired
warning shots, Kimmitt said.
"After the warning shots were neglected," he continued, "the individuals got
into their vehicle and drove towards the coalition base. As the vehicle
approached the base, additional warning shots were fired in an attempt to halt
the vehicle."
Kimmitt said the driver apparently disregarded the warning shots and drove
toward the soldiers and the base. "After more warning shots," the general said,
"the vehicle did stop and (then) continued to approach the base's gate, and was
engaged with direct fire."
As part of the coalition's force-protection efforts, the general said, five
signs are posted in the area clearly prohibiting filming and stopping near the
base.
Kimmitt said he could not confirm initial reports that as many as 18 mortar
rounds were fired earlier in the evening at the Baghdad confinement facility.
He said that preliminary reports state that as many as 21 prisoners may have
been killed in the attack, but he cautioned reporters that early accounts often
are wrong.
Offensive and stability operations continue throughout Iraq, Kimmitt said, but
the past 24 hours have remained quiet, despite several small-arms, RPG and
mortar attacks. Several coalition soldiers and Iraqi security forces were
wounded during anti-coalition attacks, but no deaths were reported, he added.
Kimmitt provided details on the following operations and events from the 24
hours leading up to today's news conference:
In Mosul, four people who attacked the city's police headquarters with RPGs and
small-arms fire were apprehended. Coalition forces also detained five people
suspected of attacks in southeastern Mosul overnight. In Tall Afar, a coalition
soldier was wounded during a grenade attack on a patrol. The patrol returned
fire and apprehended two assailants.
West of Irbil, ICDC soldiers discovered a large IED on the main road to Mosul.
In Baquba, four coalition soldiers were wounded after three IED explosive
attacks.
In Baghdad, 1st Calvary Division soldiers conducted three cordon-and-search
operations for weapons dealers, and detained three suspects.
Five attacks on coalition elements were reported in the western zone of
operations
In Fallujah, a single reported attack caused no casualties or damage. And in
Ramadi, one attack occurred and left three Marines wounded.
In Karbala, insurgents used machine guns and RPGs to attack a U.S. military
police patrol, but not injuries were reported. In Hillah, an area that has been
relatively stable, the first attack in weeks occurred when U.S. soldiers came
under mortar fire and later were targeted by an RPG attack. No injuries were
reported in either attack.
East of Kufah, a platoon-size element of enemy fighters ambushed a coalition
patrol. Two U.S. soldiers were evacuated to the 31st Combat Support Hospital
with non-life threatening injuries. In Basrah, two attacks against Iraqi and
coalition forces that left an Iraqi police officer wounded.
Kimmitt also praised the performance of the 36th ICDC Battalion during recent
combat operations in Fallujah.
He said the battalion, fighting alongside the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force,
distinguished itself as a "trustworthy and capable" force, and will serve as a
benchmark for other ICDC units.
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