This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
Operation Phantom Fury, a joint U.S.-Iraqi offensive against rebel strongholds in the rebel-held city of Fallujah, ground operations began the night of November 7, 2004 with the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion capturing the rebel-held Fallujah General Hospital without firing a shot. The same unit, operating under the command of U.S. III Corps moved on the western approaches to the city securing the Jurf Kas Sukr Bridge.
American units launched their attacks along a broad front, jumping off from behind the railroad line that runs along the northern edge of the city. By daylight, the main train station had fallen to American troops. By the afternoon, troops had entered the Hay Naib al-Dubat and al-Naziza districts. Shortly after nightfall on 9 November, American soldiers were along Highway 10 in the center of the city. By dawn most of the city was in American hands.
On 13 November, after six days of fighting, the Americans described the action as mopping up pockets of resistance.
A US press release said:
- From their forward operating bases throughout the zone, Iraqi and Multi-National forces, led by the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, punched west across the Euphrates River in search of anti-Iraqi forces and those who aid them. While rounding up 30 suspects during the initial sweep, the Iraqis and their American allies seized a suspected insurgent training camp and took control of the Jurf Kas Sukr Bridge. The bridge, spanning the Euphrates southwest of Baghdad, is believed to be a favored corridor for insurgents moving into and out of key cities, including the capital hub and the current AIF sanctuary of Fallujah. [1]
Gen. George Casey described most of the people remaining in the city as "an amorphous group of terrorists and insurgents" and said that U.S. troops had secured a hospital used as a staging area by Sunni insurgents and two bridges across the Euphrates River. [2] Its Arabic name is Operation Al-Fajr (The name Al-Fajr means 'The Dawn' in Arabic). Followed Vigilant Resolve, an attempt in March to capture the city that was terminated when local leaders promised to curb the rebels.
Donald Rumsfeld said, "There aren't going be large numbers of civilians killed and certainly not by U.S. forces." [3]
Robert Burns, AP Military Writer, wrote:
- 'Every U.S. military operation is given a code name, and at Allawi's request the Fallujah offensive is called "al-Fajr," which Casey said means "the dawn." He said it involved 10,000 to 15,000 American and British troops and an unspecified number of Iraqi troops.' [4]
Operations in Fallujah
Edward Harris of MyWay News wrote on November 10, 2004:
- Maj. Francis Piccoli, of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, said U.S. forces now control 70 percent of the city and had pushed insurgents into a narrow section flanking the main east-west highway bisecting the city. [5]
See:
Links
- Operation Phantom Fury, October 5, 2004 - ?
- U.S. Commander in Iraq: Attack on Schedule - MyWay News, November 8, 2004
- U.S. ground forces hit Fallujah - Jim Krane, Associated Press
- U.S. Forces Hold 70 Percent of Fallujah - Edward Harris, MyWay News, November 10, 2004