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Residents Abandon Samarra Fearing US Offensive
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Iraqis display parts of a projectile that struck their home in Samarra (AFP)
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By
Mazen Ghazi, IOL Correspondent
BAGHDAD,
July 14 (IslamOnline.net) - More than 40 per cent of Iraqis have fled
their homes in Samarra, northwest of Baghdad, fearing an American
military offensive similar to its onslaught on Fallujah under the same
pretext of detaining foreign fighters, locals told IslamOnline.net.
The
American troops imposed a state of emergency in the city and set up
concrete checkpoints, forcing people to move in or out only through
one crossing point, said Riyad Mohamed, a secondary school teacher.
He
recalled random strikes launched by the US warplanes on residential
areas in the industrial district in Samarra, populated by 320,000
people.
"The
situation inside the city is catastrophic," Mohamed said.
He
added that about 40 per cent of the town residents have left their
homes after reports that an American military offensive was to be
unleashed within a few hours.
A
number of inhabitants ventured out to leave the city on boats sailing
through Tigris, which borders the city from the west.
"But
they were forced back after coming under fire from US occupation
soldiers," Mohamed said.
Resentment
Mohamed
Abu Aqaba, a former army soldier, said the American soldiers had dug
two tunnels around Samarra and increased their patrols on rocky roads.
"People
are resentful of these operations, which they suspect as a plot or a
pretext to thrust into Samarra and make a collective punishment of
helpless civilians like what happened in Fallujah," he added.
Abu
Aqaba was referring to the western Baghdad city of Fallujah where at
least 700 Iraqis, mostly
women and children , were killed and 1500 others injured when
the US occupation forces imposed a tight siege and bombarded
densely-populated areas.
Stiff
Resistance
Abu
Aqaba said the local residents, nevertheless, vowed stiff resistance
to any attempt by the American forces to invade Samarra.
"Preparations
are underway, and weapons are abundant here."
Iyad
Al-Samaraei, the member of the Iraqi Islamic Party politburo, said he
phoned interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to help lift the siege off
Samarra.
Although
Allawi showed an understanding of the situation, Al-Samaraei said, the
US military remains adamant to sweep the city.
Five
American soldiers were killed and 20 others injured in an attack on a
post of the Iraqi Civil Defense forces in the city on July 7.
Two
other American soldiers were also killed in an explosion hitting a
military convoy passing by the city on Sunday, July 11.
The
blast came after the occupation forces detained a number of local
inhabitants and threatened to destroy the city in case of other
attacks.
In
what was seen as a punitive measure, the Americans decided to scrap a
plan to pump 250 million dinars into reconstruction works in Samarra.
"This
is an attempt by the US military to show dissatisfaction with attacks
on police stations and Civil Defense forces as well as on American
patrols, Al-Mada newspaper reported on July 8.
The
US occupation forces gave no comment on the measures taken around the
city the city.
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