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US Air Strikes Destroy Falluja Home
By Al Jazeera
July 29, 2004
Falluja, Iraq: Heavy clashes have broken out between Iraqi resistance fighters and US forces in the city of Falluja, according to Aljazeera's correspondent in the area.
Aljazeera reported that renewed fighting broke out in the eastern entrance to the city with the Industrial Zone coming under heavy shelling from US mechanised divisions.
A house in the Shuhada'a district of the city was also destroyed when it came under US aerial bombardment, Reuters reported.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, Aljazeera's correspondent said.
US forces have repeatedly used air strikes to hit what they call "terrorist safe houses" allegedly used by Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
However, Falluja residents and medical sources insist that it is Iraqi civilians that are being killed in these strikes.
Civilians Injured
A similar air strike on a courtyard of a house in the southwest part of Falluja on 23 July resulted in five injuries, including three children, according to local hospital sources.
Dr Kamal al-Ani, a doctor at the local hospital, said a US warplane fired a missile that landed in the garden of a house in the Jubail neighbourhood, in southern Falluja. Associated Press Television News footage showed a massive crater beside the house.
"We were sleeping in the morning when a US missile hit our house," Saddam Jasim, the home's owner, said as he and his brother cleared debris.
"We have nothing to do with the resistance or al-Zarqawi. These are pretexts used by the US military to terrorise the people in Falluja because US soldiers are unable to face the insurgents," he said.
Leaflet Warning
US aircraft have dropped leaflets on the Iraqi city of Falluja, warning residents they will lose $102m in rebuilding funds if they do not halt attacks on US troops.
"If the security situation does not improve, you will lose $102m, which is already allocated and approved. This amount of money will be transferred to peaceful and open towns," the leaflets, which were dropped on Tuesday, said.
"We ask the citizens of Falluja ... to make way for multinational forces to start the rebuilding of Falluja, and to make way for American forces to move freely in the city and make real estimates for construction."
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