Men under 45 won't be allowed to leave Falluja before US all-out military offensive
 

I guess that's one way to make sure you get most of the insurgents...
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Kofi Annan Warns US Against All-Out Military Offensive on Falluja, US Urges Civilians to Flee City, All Men Under 45 Will Be Arrested

Fri Nov 5, 2004 01:14 PM ET

By Terry Friel BAGHDAD (Reuters) -

U.N. chief Kofi Annan warned against an all-out military offensive to capture the beleaguered Iraqi city of Falluja, which U.S. forces urged civilians to flee as they launched fresh air and artillery strikes on Friday.

An assault would further anger Iraqis and threaten polls due on Jan. 27., Annan said in letters to President Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, U.N. officials said on Friday.

Allawi and his U.S.-led backers see taking Falluja, which they say is the center of the resistance in Iraq, as critical to ensuring the polls go ahead and are free and fair.

Annan's comments highlight longstanding differences with Washington over how best to restore peace in Iraq.

"The threat or actual use of force not only risks deepening the sense of alienation of certain communities, but would also reinforce perceptions among the Iraqi population of a continued military occupation," the Los Angeles Times quoted him as writing.

U.S. troops sealed all roads to Falluja on Friday and in Arabic leaflets and loudspeaker messages urged women, children and non-fighting age men to flee, but said they would arrest any man under 45 trying to enter or leave the city.

'IT WILL BE SOON'

"The American forces call on women, children and civilians to leave Falluja for their own safety," said the leaflet.

Most of the Sunni Muslim city's 300,000 people have already left after weeks of intensive air and ground bombardments and clashes between insurgents and U.S. marines.

"We are making last preparations. It will be soon. We are just awaiting orders from Prime Minister Allawi," Marines Colonel Michael Shupp told Reuters near Falluja.

U.S. warplanes and artillery bombarded the city 50 km (32 miles) west of Baghdad on Friday, residents said. The resistance fired mortars and rocket-propelled grenades at U.S. forces on the city outskirts, killing a U.S. soldier and wounding five more.

There was no immediate word on civilian casualties. Ambulances were waiting for fighting to ease. The U.S. military said overnight air raids had destroyed a command post, arms caches and resistance positions in the city. Hospital workers said the raids had killed three people, wounded four and destroyed five houses.

Two marines were killed and four wounded in combat on Thursday in Anbar province that includes Falluja and the city of Ramadi, also expected to be included in any offensive.

shit is about to hit the fan, do they think these people are going to fold over :1orglaugh they have anothe thing coming, these folks are fighting for their country and familes....

I suspect they'll be greeted as liberators.