Marines pound rebel stronghold

BAGHDAD - United States forces battled rebels in Ramadi and pounded Fallujah, but there was no sign that an all-out American-led offensive to retake the insurgent-held cities had begun on the eve of the US presidential election.

The US military said it had begun to increase its troop strength in Iraq ahead of nationwide elections due in January.

"The Second Brigade Combat Team has been informed that its departure has been delayed for 30 to 60 days to provide a secure environment for this election," a military spokesman said.

While the 1st Cavalry's Second Brigade will stay longer than planned, new troops have begun arriving, he said. The US already has about 138,000 troops in Iraq.

Three people were killed in the Ramadi fighting, including an Iraqi cameraman working for Reuters, apparently killed by a sniper after fierce clashes had died down.

US forces hit the eastern part of the Sunni Muslim city of Fallujah with on-off artillery barrages through the day and air strikes in the evening, but there were no reports of casualties.

The Marines are preparing to attack Ramadi and Fallujah in a drive to pacify Iraq before the Iraqi national assembly polls.

Iraqi President Ghazi Yawar criticised the planned offensive in remarks published in the Kuwaiti daily al-Qabas.

"The coalition's handling of this crisis is wrong. It's like someone who fired bullets at his horse's head just because a fly landed on it; the horse died and the fly went away," Yawar said.

"What's needed is that the coalition forces continue dialogue so that the Iraqi armed forces will come, which will prompt those on the sidelines not to join the rebels ... "

Gunmen assassinated the deputy governor of Baghdad, Hatem Karim, and wounded two of his bodyguards in a drive-by shooting in the southern Dora district of the capital.

The Islamic militant group Army of Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the killing.

- REUTERS



Herald Feature: Iraq