US boosts forces in advance of Fallujah offensive
Gunmen assassinated Baghdad’s deputy governor today as a fresh brigade of American soldiers arrived in the capital – reinforcements that will push US military strength in Iraq to its highest level since the summer of 2003.
West of the capital, US troops clashed with Sunni insurgents, and American artillery pounded suspected rebel positions in Fallujah.
American forces are gearing up for a major offensive in Fallujah if Iraqi mediation fails to win agreement to hand over foreign Arab fighters and other militants.
US and Iraqi officials hope to curb the insurgency in Sunni strongholds in time for national elections by the end of January. The order to launch what would likely be a bloody assault must come from Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, who warned on Sunday that his patience with negotiations was running thin.
Voter registration for the January election began nervously. A handful of Iraqis who showed up to register in central Baghdad refused to allow TV cameras to film them for fear of future retaliation.
In order to provide enough security for the voting, US army units due to depart are being held back until after the election. The delays in departures and the arrival of new units will push the total US military presence in Iraq to around 142,000.
In the capital, gunmen assassinated Baghdad province’s deputy governor Hatim Kamil as he was on his way to work. Two of his bodyguards were also wounded.
A known militant group, the Ansar al-Sunnah Army, claimed responsibility.
“This is the fate of whoever is aiding or supporting the crusaders against the Muslims and mujahedeen,” the group said on their website.
Heavy clashes between US forces and insurgents continued in Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad.
A bomb in Ramadi killed a US marine and wounded four others on Sunday. The blast brought to nine the number of marines killed in the area over the weekend. At least 1,121 members of the US military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an AP count.
In today’s fighting in Ramadi, one woman was killed and her two children injured, hospital officials said.
Also killed was an Iraqi freelance television cameraman who provided material to Associated Press Television News – believed to be the 24th journalist killed in Iraq this year.
