Battle of Fallujah

NightTrain

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Email from Mike - 22 NOV 04
Fallujah

Hi Everyone,

Well Task Force 2-7 Cav made it back from Fallujah earlier than expected, mission accomplished.

It feels so good to be back from a second successful mission that was as difficult as it was dangerous. We left Camp Cooke on Nov 1 and staged at Camp Fallujah for about a week. While there, we got the good news that George Bush was re-elected, and we had busy days and nights of planning and rehearsals for the big attack.

2 days before "D-Day," a 122mm rocket impacted 50 meters away from our tents that sent everyone to the floor. We staged there at a remote part of the post and it was obvious that a local national tipped off the "mujahedeen" (Arabic name for the enemy) where we staged. From that attack, we lost one soldier and 4 more were wounded. That attack gave the rest of the Task Force enough anger to last the whole fight.

After all the drills and rehearsals, the day for the attack finally came on Nov 8. Prime Minister Allawi gave the green light and Coalition and Iraqi forces went all the way. On Nov 7, a battalion of Marines seized the peninsula to the west of the city to prevent insurgents from fleeing. A brigade (4,000 soldiers) from the First Cav set up another cordon around the city to catch anyone fleeing. The plan was to make sure the insurgents would either surrender, or fight and be killed. Intelligence estimates put the enemy between 3,000 - 5,000 strong, so we knew we had a tough fight ahead of us.

One of the interesting factors to this fight was the weather; although Iraq is unbelievably hot in the summer (up to 130 in Najaf), it was colder out in Fallujah than it was back in New York. Temperatures were typically in the upper-30's and low 40's between 5 PM to 8 AM. The average temperature here has dropped about 30 degrees in the past month or so. We moved all of our vehicles and soldiers from Camp Fallujah to a position about 1 mile north of the city. That's also where we set up our TF support area (re-fuel, re-arm) and where we set up the Tactical Operations Center.

All day long while were setting up at that location, Air Force and Marine Corps aviators shaped the battlefield with laser-guided bombs and hellfire missiles. Although American forces had not been into the city since April, we had been collecting intelligence on the city for months through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's), human intelligence, and Special Forces. So we knew exactly where they stored their weapons and where they held meetings, and so on. All of these attacks from the air were precise and very effective in reducing the enemy's ability to fight us before the battle even started. With each attack, secondary explosions of weapons/ammo blowing up were heard.

The Coalition also threw the enemy a curveball by destroying all the vehicles that had been parked in the same location for more than 3 days---the enemy planned to use these as car bombs when we attacked. Again, almost every single vehicle the air assets attacked had huge secondary explosions. After 12 hours of massive air strikes, Task Force 2-7 got the green light and was the first unit to enter the city. There is a big train station on the city's northern limit, so the engineers cleared a path with some serious explosives and our tanks led the way.

While this was happening, my intelligence shop was flying our own UAV to determine where the enemy was. It is a very small plane that is launched by being thrown into the air. We flew it for 6 hours and reported grids to the tanks and Bradleys of where we saw insurgents on the roof and moving in the street---so our soldiers knew where the enemy was, before they even got to the location. We crossed the train station just before midnight and led the way for the Marines by killing everything we could in our way. It took our tanks and brads until 10 AM the next day to get 2 miles into the city. They killed about 200 insurgents in the process and softened the enemy for the Marines. 5 of our soldiers were wounded in this first 10 hours, but we accomplished our part of the plan.

The Marines' mission was to follow TF 2-7 and fight the enemy by clearing from building to building. A lot of the insurgents saw the armored vehicles and hid. They waited for the Marines to come and took their chances by fighting them since the Marines weren't protected by armor like we were. In that first day of fighting, the Marines took 5 KIA and many more wounded, but they also did their job very well. Along the way, they found HUGE caches of weapons, suicide vests, and many foreign fighters. They also found unbelievable amounts of drugs, mostly heroin, speed, and cocaine. It turns out, the enemy drugged themselves up to give them 'courage' and stupidity to stay and fight.

The enemy tried to fight us in "the city of mosques" as dirty as they could. They fired from the steeples of the mosques and the mosques themselves. They faked being hurt and them threw grenades at soldiers when they approached to give medical treatment. They waved surrender flags, only to shoot at our forces 20 seconds later when they approached to accept their surrender.

The next few days, TF 2-7 maintained our battle positions inside the city, coming out only for fuel and more ammo. We fought 24 hours a day and continued to support the Marines as they cleared from house to house. If they were taking heavy fire or RPG fire from a house, they would call on our tanks. Our guys would open up on the house with 120 mm main gun or .50 cal. After 5 minutes of suppressive fire, then the Marines would go into the building and clear it. There was rarely anyone left alive by that point. The problem is that we couldn't be there to do that for all the Marines. and when we couldn't and they had to clear the building without our help, they took heavy casualties because the insurgents didn't stop firing until the Marines got into the building and killed them.

After 3 days, half of the city had been cleared and Iraqi Forces followed the Marines to re-clear the buildings and clean up the caches. Sometimes the insurgents who had managed to hide from the Marines would stand and fight the Iraqis, so they took some casualties as well. But they did a good job of securing the area and collecting the thousands of AK-47's, RPG's, mortars, and IED's that were in these houses. All that ammo proved just how intensely the enemy planned to defend the city. After all, Fallujah was the symbol of the resistance against the new Iraqi government. They wanted to keep their safe haven for terrorists like Zarqawi to behead innocent people. Since no Coalition Forces were allowed into the city, they were able to get away with those atrocious acts without much trouble.

On day 3 of the fight, we had the most exciting moment for me personally when our Task Force Support Area and TOC came under attack. Insurgents fired mortars and rockets at us everyday, some landing as close as 30 meters from us. But on this day at 6 pm, just as it was getting dark, we took 3 rounds very close, and then to the north 8-10 insurgents opened up with small arms fire on the TOC. Luckily, a tank platoon was back re-fueling and along with the scout platoon, laid down some serious firepower and killed them all in a matter of 5 minutes. But all of us in the TOC got to go out and be part of the fight, firing rounds and seeing the tanks unload on these insurgents. None of us were hurt, but it was an exciting 10 minutes.

THEN came the second push through the rest of the city. Although by day 4, the Coalition had already killed over a thousand, many of them fled to the southern portion of the city and took up positions there. Again, Task Force 2-7 led the push a little before midnight. Same mission, same purpose: To soften up enemy strong points and kill as many insurgents as possible to enable the Marines to follow us when the sun rose. The Marines from Regimental Combat Team 1 did just that for the next 5 days---fighting house to house, finding more weapons, more torture chambers, more ammunition, and more insurgents ready to fight to the death. One fighter came running out of a building that our tanks set on fire. He was on fire and still shooting at us. As our Sergeant Major said, "going up against tanks and brads with an AK-47, you have to admire their effort!"

Over the next 5 days, the Marines and our Task Force killed over 1,000 more insurgents. In that time, over 900 more fighters made the decision to spend 30 years in prison rather than die. The Marines are still occupying the city and helping with the rebuilding process---they still meet some sporadic resistance, usually a group of 3-5, shooting from a mosque or faking surrender and then shooting at them.

We were very disturbed to find one house with 5 foreigners with bullets in their head, killed execution style. Marines also came upon a house where an Iraqi soldier in the Iraqi National Guard had been shackled to the wall for 11 days and was left there to die. These insurgents are some sick people and Fallujah proved that more than ever.

2 mosques were not being used for prayer, but rather for roadside bomb making. They were literally IED assembly line factories, with hundreds of IED's complete or being built. They also had several houses with high-tech equipment where they conducted their meetings. In Fallujah, the enemy had a military-type planning system going on. Some of the fighters were wearing body armor and Kevlar's, just like we do. Soldiers took fire from heavy machine guns (.50 cal) and came across the dead bodies of fighters from Chechnya, Syria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Afghanistan, and so on. No, this was not just a city of pissed-off Iraqis, mad at the Coalition for forcing Saddam out of power. It was a city full of people from all over the Middle East whose sole mission in life was to kill Americans.

Problem for them is that they were in the wrong city in November 2004.

Now that it's over, there is a lot of things that people back home should know. First of all, every citizen of Fallujah (non-insurgent) is getting $2,500 USD (that's a lot over here) to fix up their house or buy new things that may have been destroyed in the fighting. Insurgents took up positions in resident's houses so we were forced to destroy a lot of buildings. There is over $100 million dollars ready to be spent to re-build the city. This may seem like a lot of money, but I can assure you that it is a small price to pay for the amount of evil people no longer alive, contemplating how to kill more Americans. The intelligence value alone is already paying huge dividends. Some of the 900 detainees are telling everything they know about other insurgents. And the enemy never expected such a large or powerful attack and they were so overwhelmed that they left behind all kinds of things, including books with names of other foreign fighters, where their money and weapons come from, etc.

I went into the city 3 times, but after a lot of the fighting had been done. It was amazing to see how the American military had brought the world's 'most evil city' to its knees. I have an awful lot of pictures that I am going to upload to my web shots site. It will blow your mind to see what the insurgents forced us to do to win this fight. And seeing the pictures of what I saw firsthand will make you very happy to be an American and know that our country has this might if evildoers force us to use it. Our mission in Iraq is to help the Iraqi Security Forces become stable enough to keep this country safe, and once in a while fight with our full might to give these security forces a fair chance.

When we need to go after the enemy with all we've got, the results have been amazing. In the fight for Fallujah, our military lost over 50 soldiers and Marines including a sergeant major, a company commander, and 8 platoon leaders, along with 40 kids, typically between 19 and 23 years old. I can't even tell you how proud I was to be part of this fight and know these soldiers who were going from building to building to take the fight to the enemy. My Task Force lost 2 more soldiers after the rocket attack at Camp Fallujah, 1 that I knew pretty well. It was hard on the unit to deal with these losses, to go along with the 16 soldiers from 2-7 who were wounded. But this was a fight we knew would be dangerous, but worth the risk based on the good that would come out of it.

Anyone back home who thinks the world is a safe place needs to come here for a day and learn real fast that there are an awful lot of people out there who hate Americans so much that they risk their lives to try to kill us. We cannot live peacefully back at home right now unless we continue to stay on the offensive against our enemies and fight them in their backyards. Remember, radical Arabs started this war, and they continue to fight it, proving to America over and over that they need to be fought.

I am hopeful that most Americans understand that you have to accept death to defeat evil; all of us soldiers accepted that the day we signed up. There are some things worth fighting and dying for, and making the world and especially America, a safer place, is one of them. For every Mom out there that you read about who turns into a peace protestor when her son is killed in action, there are 99 Moms you don't hear about who are proud and believe in this mission even more.

It sure is good to be back to Taji after our second "field trip." We have an officers vs. enlisted football game tomorrow where I am the quarterback, so I am excited about that. We also have a Task Force Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Despite the fact we have upcoming Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years away from family and friends, all of our soldiers are thankful to be back after this big fight and to have played such an important role in the successful mission. I received some nice letters out there that were very supportive, so thank you to all of you who did that for me. Thanks for all your prayers and support, and I wish everyone back home a Happy Thanksgiving and some quality time spent with family and friends.

Mike
 
Iraqis launch battle to re-take Fallujah...
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Iraq begins massive operation to reclaim landmark city from ISIS
Monday 23rd May, 2016 - A day after making the announcement, Iraq has now proceeded ahead with launching a military campaign to reclaim its landmark city Fallujah from the Islamic State (ISIS) militant group.
The Sunni-dominated city in Anbar province, Fallujah has stood witness of two major battles during the Iraq War and is said to have been grabbed by ISIS in January 2014. Reports have quoted unnamed security officials as claiming that about 20,000 federal police soldiers were part of the operation to recapture the city from militants and about 15,000 more troops were expected to join. However, even before the battle began Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi addressed the nation and urged civilians in Fallujah to move to safe quarters.

Prime Minister Abadi informed the country about the onset of the operation in a televised statement from the military's Joint Operations Command in Baghdad. Abadi reportedly claimed that “Iraqi forces had begun a military campaign to retake the ISIS stronghold of Fallujah.” Adding that the offensive against the strategic city promises “a moment of great victory.” Abadi also told the nation, “We will tear down the black banners of the strangers who kidnapped the city. The clock of Fallujah liberation has rung, and the final victory is close.” He however stressed that Iraqi security forces had made all the arrangements to ensure that a safe passage is provided for civilians to leave the city during the operation.

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Abadi’s statement came merely a few hours after Iraq's military urged Fallujah’s residents to flee their homes. Iraq's Joint Operations Command further said in a statement that Iraqi planes had dropped thousands of leaflets and safe passage cards on Fallujah. Families were reportedly also told to raise a white flag about their homes if they were unable to escape the city. An emergency line has also been set up for families to call or text to seek evacuation. In the past few months, Iraqi forces, backed by U.S.-led coalition air support have been able to reclaim several key territories from ISIS, including Anbar, Rutba, Ramadi amongst others.

Meanwhile, in the capital city of Baghdad, Abadi’s office and the prime minister's spokesperson, Saad al-Hadithi reportedly released a preliminary investigation and statement claiming that the police and military guards had not fired directly into the crowd of demonstrators. Situation outside Baghdad’s Green Zone intensified after fresh clashes ensued between Iraqi security forces and protesters demanding government reform on May 21. Security officials had been accused of opening fire on protesters who tried to force their way into the highly fortified Green Zone that houses Iraqi government ministries and foreign embassies. Reports had then claimed that over a 100 people were injured and two people died after security forces fire tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition to bring protesters under control.

Iraq begins massive operation to reclaim landmark city from ISIS

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Iraq Launches Operation To Retake Fallujah From IS
Monday 23rd May, 2016 Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has announced the launch of military operations to retake Fallujah from Islamic State militants.
In a televised address late on May 22, Abadi said Iraqi forces are "approaching a moment of great victory" against Islamic State. Fallujah is about 65 kilometers west of Baghdad. He said the offensive would be conducted by the army, police, counterterrorism forces, local tribal fighters and a coalition of mostly Shi'ite Muslim militias. A U.S.-led coalition that has bombed Islamic State in Iraq and neighboring Syria for nearly two years was expected to provide air support. Fallujah, a longtime bastion of Sunni Muslim militants, 50 kilometers west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall to Islamic State in January 2014.

The Iraqi army, police and the militias, backed by coalition air strikes, have surrounded Fallujah since late last year, while the jihadists have been preventing residents from leaving for months. Families who cannot flee should raise white flags to mark their location in the city, the military's media unit said in a statement on state television. Deputy District Council Chairman Falih al-Essawi said three corridors would be opened for civilians to camps west, southwest and southeast of the city. Essawi told local media on May 22 that more than 75,000 civilians remained in Fallujah. About 300,000 people lived in the Euphrates River city before the war.

Saad al-Hadithi, a spokesman for Abadi, said the city's "liberation" would help restore normal life to Anbar province, over which Islamic State took nearly complete control in 2014. The announcements follows territorial gains elsewhere by Iraqi ground troops against IS, most recently the capture of the western town of Rutba, located 380 kilometers west of Baghdad, on the edge of Anbar Province. IS still controls significant patches of Iraqi territory in the country's north and west including the country's second largest city of Mosul.

Iraq Launches Operation To Retake Fallujah From IS
 
Let's give it a few more days...
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Iraqi forces halt Fallujah advance amid fears for 50,000 human shields
June 3, 2016 -- Iraqi security forces on Fallujah's southern outskirts halted offensive operations against the Islamic State on Thursday amid fears for the safety of 50,000 civilians being used as human shields.
Their ongoing dilemma is how to protect and evacuate men, women and children who are being held by the extremist group. Iraqi units have been told not to attempt to breach Islamic State lines, said army and police officials. On Wednesday, counter-terrorism units paved the way for a move into Fallujah by breaking through a sand berm built by Islamic State forces in Nuaimiya, on the city's southern outskirts, said Fallujah's exiled mayor, Eissa al-Issawi. "The gap is big enough to allow military vehicles to go through it," Mr. Issawi said, adding that the units were "awaiting orders to break into Fallujah city."

Counter-terrorism forces spokesman Sabah al-Nouman said: "This direction is the fastest and most effective one when attempting to break into the city center, despite the fact that it has tunnels full of explosives. He insisted that forces were still advancing, but slowly and "with caution" to avoid the explosives. Islamic State fighters have been booby-trapping bridges, roads, even drainage pipes, say Iraqi officials. "We are still cleansing all liberated areas from explosives," said Gen. Saad Harbiya, commander of army operations in western Baghdad, who is leading some forces on Fallujah's southern front.

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A separate offensive is under way northwest of Fallujah to complete the encirclement of the city, led by Shiite Muslim militias backed by Iraqi army and police forces. U.S.-backed Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Wednesday that victory was "within reach." But Abadi is being criticized in some quarters for attempting to take back Fallujah with seemingly under-trained, under-equipped and divided security forces. His opponents accuse him of rushing the offensive in the hope of boosting his own flagging popularity. "The timing of the Fallujah initiative is very much politically motivated," said Lina Khatib, the head of the Middle East program at the London-based Chatham House research institution. "Abadi has not yet delivered politically so in a way he is seeking stability through military engagement against" ISIS.

The United Nations believes at least 50,000 civilians are trapped inside the city, but aid workers say that the number could be double that. "Commanders on the ground have discussed the issue of waiting until civilians get out and how this may negatively affect the operation," said Brig. Ahmed al-Bilawi, head of the emergency police unit in Anbar province, where Fallujah is located. "They favor waiting for more civilians to come out, so we have had to listen to them the past few days."

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Two-thirds still under ISIS control...
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Iraqi army only retook third of Falluja - US commander
Tue, 21 Jun 2016 - A US military commander contradicts an Iraqi army claim that it had liberated Falluja and driven out IS militants from most of the city.
Colonel Christopher Garver said Iraqi forces had cleared only a third of the city and the rest remains contested. Iraqi commanders insist that 80% of Falluja is under their control. Iraq's prime minister announced Falluja's "liberation" on Friday, after the city council building was retaken. Haider al-Abadi claimed that remaining pockets of IS fighters would be "cleaned out within hours". But clashes between government forces and IS militants continue and the militants have dug in in residential neighbourhoods in the north of the city. Iraqi forces moved into the centre of the city on Friday, raising the national flag from the city council building.

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Iraqi security forces gather at Falluja hospital in center of Falluja, Iraq​

But Colonel Garver warned that the troops would encounter more resistance as they moved out from the centre of the city. He said: "What it looks like is (an IS) defensive belt around the city with not as stiff defences inside. That could be their toughest fighting." Iraqi commanders said on Tuesday they had pushed IS out of two northern neighbourhoods of the city. They say the battle for Falluja has killed 2,500 militants, but the figure has not been independently backed up. The operation to retake the city has pushed thousands of residents to flee, overwhelming refugee camps.

More than 83,000 people have fled since the government launched the assault and up to 25,000 more are likely to be on the move, according to the UN. The Norwegian Refugee Council said reception camps for the displaced were overwhelmed, and there was insufficient water, food, shelter and medical care. Falluja, only 50km (30 miles) west of the capital Baghdad, has been held by IS for longer than any other city in Iraq or Syria. The jihadist group overran the predominantly Sunni Arab city in January 2014, six months before it seized control of large parts of northern and western Iraq.

Iraqi army only retook third of Falluja - US commander - BBC News

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Fight to drive 'IS' from Iraq far from over
20 June 2016 - Falluja may mark another turning point in the fight against so-called Islamic State (IS). And yet, as a potential humanitarian crises unfolds, defeat could still be snatched from the jaws of victory.
Iraq's security forces are, at last, reversing IS gains. Falluja was the first Iraqi city IS captured and the start of a rout. But the Iraqi forces that fled, offering barely any resistance, are finally turning the tables on their enemy. Over the past 90 days, they have been retaking territory almost as fast as they lost it. The recapture of Ramadi took eight weeks, the city of Hit eight days, and Rutba just eight hours. We watched the Iraqi army's quick-reaction force first enter Falluja last week. Their commander, Gen Abbas, was confident of success. As his forces battled IS positions just a few hundred metres away, he told me he was "100% sure" they would defeat the extremists. Such certainty while under fire is, in part, down to the help they have been getting from above.

As Gen Abbas ordered his tanks and troops forward, he was able to talk directly to coalition warplanes and call in air strikes. The Iraqi army itself is also better equipped and trained. Yet Fallujah is also a reminder of the huge struggles ahead. It has history. It is a Sunni city in a majority Shia country. Twelve years ago, the US Marine Corps lost almost 100 men in Falluja, with hundreds more wounded, as it tried to crush an insurgency that existed long before the arrival of IS. More recently, it has been a base from where extremists have launched suicide attacks in Baghdad. Those sectarian divisions have once again been exposed in the efforts to liberate Falluja from IS control. We heard Sunni civilians fleeing the fighting bitterly complain their homes had been targeted by Shia militia helping the Iraqi security forces surround the city.

There is evidence too that men of fighting age have been abused and tortured by some of those same Shia militia. Aware of the danger of a widening sectarian gulf in taking the city, the US-led coalition has consistently warned the Iraqi government it will withdraw its military support if those Shia forces enter the city itself. The fighting has already left much of Falluja in ruins and tens of thousands of its citizens displaced. If the Iraqi government wants to return order, it will have to show quickly it is making efforts to rebuild. Without homes, hospitals and schools, there will be plenty of lingering resentment. Any so-called "victory" will be hollow without a dividend for peace. Maj Gen Gary Volesky is the second most senior US military commander in Baghdad. This is his fifth deployment to Iraq.

Every time he has been here, he believes, he has left Iraq "better than when I got here". Not everyone might agree. But he says what is different this time is Iraq has been facing an enemy "that plants flags and takes terrain". The coalition has had to retrain the Iraqi army to fight a more conventional war. And this time, unlike his previous deployments, it is the Iraqis leading the fight on the ground. But this could easily return to being another insurgency. Hundreds of IS fighters have already fled Falluja - possibly to fight another day. Defeating IS in battle is not the same as defeating its twisted ideology. And there are still deep divisions in Iraq between Sunni, Kurd and Shia. Even an optimist such as Gen Volesky admits there are "significant challenges" ahead.

Fight to drive 'IS' from Iraq far from over - BBC News
 
Dan. 9.25 - squares and moat...
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Iraq digs security trench around Fallujah after recapturing city from ISIS
July 24, 2016 – The Iraqi military will use a medieval tactic to keep control of Fallujah after recapturing it from the Islamic State group last month: It is digging a trench around the city.
The trench will have a single opening for residents to move in and out of the city, which is virtually empty since the offensive that defeated the IS militants, said Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, deputy commander of the counterterrorism forces that led the successful campaign. It will be about 7 miles (11 kilometers) long and "will protect the city's residents, who have lived through many tragedies, as well as security forces deployed there," al-Saadi said in an interview with The Associated Press at his Baghdad headquarters. Cutting off all roads but one will allow authorities to monitor the movements of residents more closely.Fallujah has been a source of car bombs used against Baghdad, which is 40 miles (65 kilometers) to the east. Restricting traffic will be one way to try to stop any explosives-laden vehicles from leaving the city.

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A worker digs a trench on the outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq​

Besides the trench, more modern security measures also will be used. Personal details of the estimated 85,000 residents who fled during the May-June battle to liberate the city will be stored electronically, and forgery-proof ID cards will be issued, according to Mayor Issa al-Issawi. Cars owned by residents also will be issued display badges containing electronic chips. The trenches will be about 40 feet (12.5 meters) wide and 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep. Work has begun on the first leg, running about 4 miles (6 kilometers) on the north and northwest side of the city, al-Issawi told the AP. Digging the second leg, which runs 3 miles (5 kilometers) along the south and southeast, will begin soon, he said.

The western edge of Fallujah abuts the Euphrates River, providing a natural barrier. On the east side is the heavily patrolled main highway to Baghdad, which will be the sole entrance to Fallujah. The two trenches run through open desert areas used in the past by militants, said Maj. Gen. Saad Harbiyah, in charge of military operations in western Baghdad. Iraqis have used various earthworks, walls and fortifications ever since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. During the war, Saddam had trenches dug around Baghdad, filled them with oil and set them ablaze, using thick, black smoke to obscure the view for U.S. warplanes.

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Iraqis pack up a lifetime as they flee ISIS-held Mosul in the dark of night
Mon July 25, 2016 - The soldiers are on edge, peering nervously into the dark. They can make out the sound of people -- they can never know whom -- approaching their position on this mountainside overlooking Mosul.
Then, in groups of two or three, they emerge from the night: men, women, children, the elderly. Some can barely walk. They've been on their feet for hours, and need to be carried the rest of the way. It's the same routine, night after night. To get to the Kurdish front lines in northern Iraq, people fleeing Mosul must avoid detection by ISIS militants, step carefully through minefields, and be ready to find shelter if mortar rounds come crashing down. For men, capture by ISIS could mean punishment if they're lucky -- but more likely it will mean death.

By the time they reach safety, some have been walking for four or five hours. Adults must carry the young children. They arrive thirsty, hungry and exhausted. Walking by night, however, is preferable to doing it by day, when they can be picked off by ISIS snipers or fall prey to the withering heat, with daytime temperatures well over 110 degrees Fahrenheit (around 45 degrees Celsius). It's risky, but it's worth it, says a man who declined to identify himself but who says he worked as a nurse. "I came because of the tyranny of Daesh," he says, using an Arabic acronym for ISIS. "I came because of the lack of food and water, because of the lack of security. ISIS are gangs of killers and thieves. The most basic necessities of life no longer exist. There is no electricity, no water, no connection with the outside world."

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The threat of execution by ISIS, for offenses large and small, looms over everyone, he said. "They kill you if you don't fast. They kill you if you don't pray. They kill women if they show their faces. They have no other way of doing things than killing. The only punishment is killing: no prison, no fines, just killing, killing and killing." The number of people fleeing Mosul and surrounding towns and villages has been rising steadily in recent weeks, as Iraqi government and Kurdish forces slowly retake territory around the city. At the same time the U.S.-led coalition is ratcheting up pressure, its planes targeting ISIS. The U.S. also announced it is sending more than 500 additional troops to support the battle to liberate Mosul.

Before ISIS drove Iraqi forces from Mosul in June 2014, the city had a population of around two-and-a-half million people. Hundreds of thousands fled when the extremists took over, and hundreds of thousands more are expected to pour out of the city when the battle for Mosul begins in earnest. The Kurdish soldiers -- known as Peshmerga -- welcome those who make it to their lines, but are nervous. They can never be sure if the men approaching them are genuinely fleeing to safety or are ISIS militants armed with explosive vests or weapons.

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