Joint US/ Iraqi offensive in Samarra, Sadr City shelling; mourning

(1 Oct 2004) Please Note: This story is on Beta SP tape EF04/0971


Samarra
1. Various of city with smoke rising
2. Helicopter flying overhead, missile fired
3. Wide of mosque, pan left to smoke rising UPSOUND: gunfire
4. Helicopter flying overhead
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Voxpop:
"Since yesterday until now, since half past five on Thursday until this moment - half past eleven on Friday - the bombing has not stopped. Indiscriminate and unjust bombing with planes, tanks and snipers."
6. City with smoke plume

Sadr City
++Night Shots++
7. Flashes of light UPSOUND: blast
8. Various jets flying

Sadr City
9. Exterior of damaged building; people standing around
10. Bloodstain on ground
11. Various of damaged buildings; women and children looking
12. Various of burnt out vehicles
13. Various of funeral procession with coffin on top of vehicle and chanting
14. Woman crying, slapping her own face
15. Men on ground crying
16. Coffin being carried
17. Close up of young man crying
18. Mourners walking by coffin
19. Wide of coffin being carried down street

Al-Amel
20. Wide shot of tent where mourners are sitting
21. Various of mourners sitting in chairs

STORYLINE:

Clashes between US and Iraqi forces and militia fighters continued in Iraq overnight and throughout the day on friday.

US and Iraqi forces launched a large offensive in the northern city of Samarra, which has reportedly killed dozens of Iraqis and one US soldier.

Four others were also wounded during Samarra clashes, according to a military spokesman.

Spokesman for the 1st Infantry Division, Master Sergeant Robert Powell said the names of the American wounded and dead would not be released until their next of kin were notified.

The coalition forces launched the major assault to retake control of the milita stronghold in the city.

The US Command said American troops, the Iraqi National Guard and Iraqi Army moved into Samarra after midnight under cover of heavy fire, aiming to secure government and police buildings.

As they advanced, militia fighters attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, according a military statement.

Smoke rose from the area around the Imam Ali al-Hadi and Imam Hassan al-Askari shrine, raising concerns about one of the holiest sites for Shiite Muslims.

The sound of shelling mixed with the crackle of automatic gunfire into the afternoon.

Resident said houses were flattened and dozens of cars charred.

Hospital and military officials reported more than 90 people were killed and 100 wounded.

Samarra has been under the control of milita groups and a virtual "no-go" area for US troops since May 30.

Meanwhile in Baghdad, US troops clashed with fighters loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr overnight in the suburb of Sadr City on Friday.

Numerous jets could be seen flying over the area and occasional explosions were heard.

Local Iraqis took to the streets for the funerals of two people killed in the overnight clashes.

Shutters had been torn from shop fronts, cars were burnt out and bullet holes were visible in the facade of one house, following the fighting.

The US military had no immediate comment on the violence.

And in the Al-Amel district of the capital, mourners gathered at the site of a deadly bomb attack that killed 35 children.

A string of bombs killed dozens of children and wounded scores of others as US troops handed out sweets at a government-sponsored celebration to inaugurate a sewage plant.

It was the largest death toll of children in any militia attack since the Iraq conflict began.




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