The View From the Iraqi Resistance

A site which claims to be the voice of the Iraqi resistance in Fallujah does not believe that the US Marines have retreated, as per the claims of the regular media. Hat tip: WOSG of the Free Republic.  Al Basrah reports what seems to be a probe and further tightening around the neighborhoods still controlled by the enemy. These reports date from nearly 48 hours ago and have not been collaterally confirmed by the media. Indeed, the time frame given corresponds to the the 'ignominious retreat' ascribed to the USMC. Note, however, that most of the manuevering described in the following accounts have taken place in the local night, which is roughly on "Mecca Time".

Saturday, 1 May 2004.

Towards midnight: US aggressors mass north of al-Fallujah following retreat.

In a bulletin posted at 23:35 Mecca time Saturday night, Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent in al-Fallujah reports that US aggressor forces have begun to mass north of the defiant city, as the two base centers of the invaders – that to the north west of the city beyond the residential area and that to the north east in the agricultural area behind the railroad tracks – have begun to join up.

The people of al-Fallujah can see this massing from a distance and some are fearful of what it might portend, thinking that the aim might be a military offensive against the city. Another part of the population believe that this is simply the redeployment of US forces as they gather in one place for better protection against Resistance attacks.

Resistance fighters are massing in the northern neighborhoods of al-Fallujah in preparation for any eventuality, or for any US aggressor attempt to storm the city. In the eastern, central, southern, and southwestern parts of the city, however the situation is stable.

Iraqi Resistance turns back major US attack on al-Fallujah’s al-Jawlan neighborhood.

In a report posted at 20:49 Mecca time Saturday night, Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent in al-Fallujah reported that US aggressor troops launched a powerful and concentrated attack directed at al-Jawlan neighborhood in the northwest side of the city. The correspondent writes that it appears that this American assault is not another effort to cover the US retreat, but a genuine attempt to storm the city from within.

Al-Fallujah’s Resistance fighters waged a fierce battle against the US attackers that lasted some 35 minutes (from 7:45pm to 8:20pm, local time) and were able to repulse the US assault, inflicting losses on the Americans, according to Resistance fighters. The fighters were unable to give exact figures of the US losses.

It is thought possible that the reason for the latest US attack is that it was an American attempt to secure the area around the position their forces occupy opposite al-Jawlan, where the largest number of Resistance fighters are concentrated. Al-Jawlan, at least its lower end closest to the confrontation line with the Americans, is nearly empty of its civilian population at this point, after most residents left during the intense battles of past days.

It should be noted that although American forces have retreated from a number of sectors around al-Fallujah, they retain two positions confronting the city:

1. To the northeast where the agricultural zone beyond the railroad tracks begins, and

2. To the northwest, beyond al-Jawlan neighborhood.

Resistance blocks US advance into al-Jurayfi, killing two Marines.

A powerful explosion shook al-Jurayfi district, north of al-Fallujah on Saturday according to an afternoon report filed by Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent in the defiant city. The blast occurred, he reports at precisely 3:53pm local time and the sound of the explosion reverberated throughout the area, being audible in various parts of al-Fallujah.

The correspondent reports that the explosion was the result of Iraqi Resistance fighters’ resistance to a simple attack that the occupation forces had launched at al-Jurayfi when they sent in a Humvee accompanied by troops on foot to cover their on-going retreat towards the agricultural area behind the railroad tracks to the north east of al-Fallujah.

Mafkarat al-Islam’s correspondent reported that as soon as the Iraqi Resistance saw the oncoming US aggressor troops trying to infiltrate into al-Jurayfi, they fired two rocket-propelled grenades at the Humvee. They scored a direct hit on the vehicle, destroying it completely and killing two of the Marine invaders who were inside. The troops on foot fled. The correspondent writes that the American forces use this sort of raid to facilitate the withdrawal of their forces, keeping the Resistance busy with these little military engagements.

Al-Fallujah celebrates the retreat of the American aggressors.

The people of al-Fallujah came out into the streets on Saturday flashing “victory” signs in celebration of their triumph over the US aggressor forces that blocaded their city for nearly a month. The demonstrators carried the Iraqi flag on which is emblazoned the motto Allahu akbar (God is greatest!) as they marched through the streets chanting in support of defiance and resistance to the invader forces.

Meanwhile local police and forces carried out patrols in parts of al-Fallujah. MSN reported that the US occupation troops claimed that they would repair a mosque that their attack aircraft had destroyed.

Resistance fighters stay on alert as local police take over former US aggressor positions around al-Fallujah.

The correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam in al-Fallujah reported that policemen together with members of the so-called civil defense forces had begun to deploy in al-Fallujah to take the place of retreating US aggressor forces. This has occurred in a number of locations, in particular in the industrial zone and an-Nu‘aymiyah neighborhood. US forces refused to send four Humvees to participate in joint patrols with the Iraqi police – something that was supposed to happen according to the various cease-fire deals that had been worked out in recent weeks. The US refusal was likely out of fear for the safety of the US troops.

Meanwhile, Iraqi Resistance fighters remain in a state of readiness and on alert as they follow what events will result from this hand over.

Evaluation:

The events described above seem describe a move by the USMC into the northeast of the Fallujah (the upper right corner of the 'Golan' box?). The author of the account (whose reliability one has no way of determining) suggests it is part of a wider deployment preparatory to an all-out attack, possibly from two directions, but that is by no means clear. What can be safely said is that the enemy has detected USMC maneuvering which has now forced them to split their units to face in at least two ways. But no definite conclusions can be drawn.