War planes fire on Fallujah as marines continue hunt for rebels

WAR.WIRE

War planes fire on Fallujah as marines continue hunt for rebels
FALLUJAH, Iraq, Dec 12 (AFP) Dec 12, 2004
US war planes fired several missiles at targets in Fallujah Sunday as marines pressed on with their search for rebels remaining in the Sunni Muslim city, an AFP correspondent embedded with the military said.

The operations followed renewed fighting Saturday in northern and southern Fallujah, which was devastated last month when US and Iraqi forces stormed the city in a bid to wrest it from rebels.

"We're clearing up the last ones (insurgents). They're holed up in places," said Sergeant Ted Herald of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.

Coalition troops killed hundreds of fighters during last month's assault, but have continued to face pockets of rebels as they clear the city.

At least 18 suspected rebels were killed Friday, Herald said, adding that he did not think insurgents had returned to Fallujah since the assault.

He said fighters remaining in the city "were biding their time. They are waiting for us to leave".

The top US marine commander in Iraq, Lieutenant General John Sattler, said Thursday about 97 percent of Fallujah had been cleared of rebels and bombs as coalition forces try to restore security so tens of thousands of residents can return.

Most of Fallujah's 250,000 people fled the city before the November 8 assault.