U.S. seals off Iraq's Falluja

Witness on Friday said insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades and mortars at U.S. troops who were shelling from around the eastern and southeastern edges of the city.

Hospital officials said they were waiting for clashes to ease before sending out ambulances. Overnight air strikes had killed three people and wounded four, they said. There was no immediate word from the U.S. military on the latest clashes.

It said earlier its warplanes had mounted five strikes on rebel targets in Falluja within seven hours overnight, hitting an arms cache, a rebel command post and other targets.

Residents said five houses were destroyed.

They said troops had sealed off all roads in and out of the Sunni Muslim city of 300,000 people as U.S. Marines prepared for a full assault designed to crush the rebels before nationwide elections in January.

U.S. Marines say they are awaiting orders from U.S. President George W. Bush and Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who is visiting Europe, before storming Falluja and Ramadi, another Sunni city and rebel stronghold west of Baghdad.

Most of Falluja's population has already fled.

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=616061§ion=news

US troops have closed all roads in and out of the rebel-held city and Iraqi troops have taken up position nearby.

US and Iraqi officials have pledged to flush out insurgents ahead of elections due in January.

Speaking in Brussels, Mr Allawi said the window was closing for a peaceful settlement in Falluja.

Mr Allawi has repeatedly threatened an all-out assault on the city if residents do not turn in Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who is thought to be based there.

His al-Qaeda-linked group has captured and killed hostages and is blamed for a string of suicide bombings.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3986085.stm

US tells civilians to flee Fallujah
(Filed: 05/11/2004)

American troops in Fallujah have made loudspeaker announcements and handed out leaflets urging civilians to leave the city ahead of an expected assault.

The move comes as troops prepare for a major assault on rebel strongholds in Fallujah and nearby Ramadi.

The soldiers warned they would arrest any man under the age of 45 found trying to leave or enter the city.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/05/ufall3.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/11/05/ixportaltop.html