Falluja doctors decry civilian toll
Sunday 26 September 2004, 10:19 Makka Time, 7:19 GMT
Hospitals say women and children were killed and
injured
US warplanes, tanks and artillery units have renewed
their assault on the Iraqi city of Falluja, killing
and wounding many women and children.
At least 15 people were killed and 25 wounded in what
US military authorities are calling a precision strike
targeting "terrorists meeting in the Jolan district of
Falluja".
"Intelligence sources indicated that approximately 10
terrorists were meeting at this location to plan
operations targeting innocent Iraqi civilians and
multi-national forces," said a US military statement
on the strike carried out at 1800 GMT.
However, Falluja medical sources are disputing US
claims and saying their hospital wards are being
filled with dead and wounded women and children.
"The death toll has just risen to eight after a child
died of wounds it sustained from the air strikes and
another 17 wounded, including four children and two
women," Dr Rafia al-Isawi, director of Falluja General
Hospital, told Aljazeera.
"If air strikes targeting civilians continue, [the]
number of casualties will increase."
Targeting al-Zarqawi
Homes were destroyed in the
US air strike
The US military said it was targeting a building where
supporters loyal to "al-Qaida-linked" Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi were believed to be meeting.
Reuters quotes the US military as saying: "There were
no innocent civilians reported in the immediate area
at the time of the strike. Multinational forces took
multiple measures to minimise collateral damage and
civilian casualties."
An Iraqi journalist however told Aljazeera that the US
raid targeted a residential area in the Golan area of
Falluja.
Abu Bakr al-Dulaimi said "US forces always claim the
targeted sites host followers of al-Zarqawi, but they
are citizens' residences," he added.
Reuters Television pictures showed rescuers pulling
survivors out of the ruins of a destroyed house. Two
women and one young child were among those rescued
from the rubble.
Residents fleeing
Iraqi journalist: There is no single
neighbourhood that is safe
The Iraqi journalist further said the city's officials
had been trying to solve the crisis.
"They believe the US raids are planned operations that
come to avenge the citizens' resistance against the US
forces," al-Dulaimi added.
"There is no single neighbourhood in Falluja that is
safe or secure," al-Dulaimi said. "People fleeing the
city do not head towards other neighbourhoods, they
leave it."
"Even the Iraqi government is not listening to the
suffering and moans of Falluja's citizens," al-Dulaimi
said.
Aljazeera reported a US military spokesman saying his
forces' artillery targeted armed men driving in a car
transporting military hardware. The car, however, was
not damaged.
Investigation
Doctors say Iraqi officials should inspect casualties
Falluja Hospital's Dr al-Isawi called on a delegation
from the interim Iraqi government to investigate the
nature of the casualties.
"I wonder why officials at the Iraqi health ministry
do not come to see the number of frequent casualties.
Will the Iraqi government send a delegation to inspect
casualties in Falluja hospital and see the repeated
tragedy or shall Fallujans bear the consequences?"
"I have nine children in the children's [ward] from
yesterday's and today's bombing," he said.
"Every day we receive women, children and elderly
people and I confirm that [they are] casualties, at
least all those I have received at the hospital, were
civilians," he added.
Earlier on Saturday, Dr Dhiya al-Jumaili of Falluja
General Hospital said at least eight people were
killed and 15 wounded, including women and children,
from the bombardment.
=====
Leo Imanov
Abdu-lLah
AllahsSlave
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