- US occupation forces deployed more than 70 tanks and
other military vehicles on and around Baghdad's Hayfa Street (9-23) as
violent fighting broke out in the area Wednesday morning. The battles were
still under way when the local Mafkarat al-Islam correspondent filed his
report posted at 12:45pm local time (11:45am Mecca time).
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- Some 50 US snipers were also deployed on rooftops surrounding
Hayfa Street, shooting at any moving target. Since the American snipers
were perched atop the residences of local people, the Iraqi Resistance
was unable to open fire on the Americans with mortars or other heavy weaponry
lest the explosions bring the buildings down on the Iraqi residents beneath.
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- Despite that advantage and the fact that the US forces
enjoy air support from Apache helicopter gunships and back up from Iraqi
puppet troops, the Americans were still unable to advance upon Resistance
defenses on the street.
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- Eyewitnesses told the correspondent that the latest round
of fighting erupted after US forces launched an attack at 6:00am local
time, trying to break into the street area and take control. The Resistance
blunted the assault, however, blocking the American advance. Five US troops
were killed as were eight Iraqi stooges, eyewitnesses reported. One Bradley
armored vehicle was put out of commission and a Humvee was destroyed. A
GMC vehicle belonging to US intelligence was set ablaze in the fighting,
as were two pickup trucks owned by the Iraqi puppet forces.
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- Assault Intensifies By Afternoon
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- US shelling of the Hayfa Street area intensified as American
forces fired into the district indiscriminately, striking civilian residents
on Wednesday afternoon. The local correspondent of Mafkarat al-Islam reported
that American troops were rounding up and arresting all young persons older
than 15 in the neighborhood.
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- Witnesses reported that seven beige and olive drab colored
armored vehicles left the American al-Muthanna camp and headed for Hayfa
Street to reinforce US troops in the area.
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- A correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam was wounded in
his feet and chest as he covered the events in the area. The reporter has
been admitted to a local hospital for treatment.
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- US Gives Up, Lifts Siege By Nightfall
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- In a report posted at 9:55pm Mecca time (10:55pm local
time) the correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam who had been covering the
situation on Hayfa Street in Baghdad reported that the US blockade of the
street was lifted at about 6:30pm Wednesday evening. The American attacks
on the local residents, he wrote, had left five martyrs dead - including
two women and three children. Seven other Iraqis, including a Mafkarat
al-Islam correspondent, were wounded in the US offensive.
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- As the US forces were pulling out, Iraqi Resistance forces
launched several attacks, inflicting losses on the Americans and on their
Iraqi puppet force stooges. Seven Iraqi puppet troops, including one lieutenant
colonel were killed. Two Humvees were destroyed and six US troops killed.
A Bradley armored vehicle and another Humvee were disabled in the course
of the combat.
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