.Iraqis say US forces "besiege" town, military deny
DHULUIYA, Iraq, May 25 (Reuters) - Residents of an Iraqi town north of Baghdad on Thursday accused U.S. forces of blocking traffic for the past five days and complained they were running out of food and could not go to work.
The U.S. military rejected charges that its forces were "besieging" Dhuluiya, a town of 40,000, saying an insurgent attack on an army checkpoint on the outskirts that killed five Iraqi soldiers had caused a "traffic disruption" in the area.
"There is no 'siege'," said a spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Loomis, in an e-mail response to a question.
U.S. and Iraqi soldiers were patrolling Dhuluiya, 90 km (55 miles) north of the capital, and checking traffic to prevent any new attacks, he said.
"Schools and stores are open ... Security officials report no legitimate humanitarian concerns at this time," he said, adding that measures were coordinated with the mayor and police.
However, mayor Rashad Daham told Reuters that living conditions in the mainly Sunni Arab town were worsening and he and the police chief spoke of a town under "siege". The Iraqi Red Crescent society sent food aid.
"The living situation is deteriorating because of the lack of food stuffs, employees and university students cannot go to work, even the ambulances are hindered by U.S. forces," Daham said. "We ask them to lift the siege of the town because it has nothing to do with these acts," he said of Sunday's violence.
Dhuluiya police chief Mohammed Khalif Hussein said: "The town has been besieged by U.S. forces from all sides for five days now."
University employee Mahmoud Hamad said he could not go to work. "The siege has paralysed life in the town," he said.
SADDAM'S HOME PROVINCE
Dhuluiya is in an area known as a stronghold of insurgents from the Sunni Arab minority fighting against the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. It lies in Salahaddin, the home province of ousted leader Saddam Hussein.
The U.S. military said repairs after Sunday's checkpoint attack, which also killed 11 militants and wounded eight Iraqi soldiers, had forced the closure of the main road into the town.
"While the major road is closed, the smaller roads around the town remain open to traffic and allow for normal business to continue," it said in a second U.S. statement on Dhuluiya.
But residents said the U.S. presence in the town, including Bradley armoured fighting vehicles, prevented them from moving around freely. They said several people had been detained and that others now preferred to stay at home.
Iraq's Red Crescent sent three truck loads of food on Thursday, saying U.S. forces had allowed them through.
Student Ali Dari Ali said the situation was difficult: "The examinations are about to start and we cannot go."
Humadi Jassim said he could not open his food store: "I could not get there. I don't know if the food is spoiled."
Reuters
Who knows, maybe a few more days for "fixing the check point" will help the locals find the perps
The U.S. military rejected charges that its forces were "besieging" Dhuluiya, a town of 40,000, saying an insurgent attack on an army checkpoint on the outskirts that killed five Iraqi soldiers had caused a "traffic disruption" in the area.
"There is no 'siege'," said a spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Loomis, in an e-mail response to a question.
U.S. and Iraqi soldiers were patrolling Dhuluiya, 90 km (55 miles) north of the capital, and checking traffic to prevent any new attacks, he said.
"Schools and stores are open ... Security officials report no legitimate humanitarian concerns at this time," he said, adding that measures were coordinated with the mayor and police.
However, mayor Rashad Daham told Reuters that living conditions in the mainly Sunni Arab town were worsening and he and the police chief spoke of a town under "siege". The Iraqi Red Crescent society sent food aid.
"The living situation is deteriorating because of the lack of food stuffs, employees and university students cannot go to work, even the ambulances are hindered by U.S. forces," Daham said. "We ask them to lift the siege of the town because it has nothing to do with these acts," he said of Sunday's violence.
Dhuluiya police chief Mohammed Khalif Hussein said: "The town has been besieged by U.S. forces from all sides for five days now."
University employee Mahmoud Hamad said he could not go to work. "The siege has paralysed life in the town," he said.
SADDAM'S HOME PROVINCE
Dhuluiya is in an area known as a stronghold of insurgents from the Sunni Arab minority fighting against the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. It lies in Salahaddin, the home province of ousted leader Saddam Hussein.
The U.S. military said repairs after Sunday's checkpoint attack, which also killed 11 militants and wounded eight Iraqi soldiers, had forced the closure of the main road into the town.
"While the major road is closed, the smaller roads around the town remain open to traffic and allow for normal business to continue," it said in a second U.S. statement on Dhuluiya.
But residents said the U.S. presence in the town, including Bradley armoured fighting vehicles, prevented them from moving around freely. They said several people had been detained and that others now preferred to stay at home.
Iraq's Red Crescent sent three truck loads of food on Thursday, saying U.S. forces had allowed them through.
Student Ali Dari Ali said the situation was difficult: "The examinations are about to start and we cannot go."
Humadi Jassim said he could not open his food store: "I could not get there. I don't know if the food is spoiled."
Reuters
Who knows, maybe a few more days for "fixing the check point" will help the locals find the perps
posted by madtom at 11:00 PM
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