Insurgent assault on provincial governor''s office in Ramadi

Описание: (9 Apr 2006)
1. Insurgent firing machine gun, another fires rocket propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, another films scene
2. Various of damaged mosque
3. Large hole in wall of a mosque with people looking through
4. Various of damaged wall of ''''al-Aziz al-Hakim'''' mosque
5. Various of shrapnel on ground
6. Broken windows, interior mosque
7. Young boys cleaning debris
8. Young boy carrying tray filled with glass and stained with blood
9. Various of damaged building
10. Close-up mortar shell in hands of person
11. Damaged building
STORYLINE:
Sunni insurgents in Iraq Saturday launched a major assault in Ramadi. They attacked the Anbar provincial government headquarters in the city, 75 miles (120 kilometres) west of Baghdad.
US forces used laser-guided bombs, anti-tank rockets and machine guns to beat back the biggest attack against the facility in more than a month, US Marine officers said.
A US Air Force F-18 fighter bombed insurgent positions, unleashing thunderous explosions that shook the city.
There were no US casualties, Marines said.
A mosque and other buildings were badly damaged.
Insurgents launched the attack from several directions on Government Centre, a sandbag-lined building protected by US Marines.
During the fighting, it is claimed that insurgents took up positions in several damaged buildings and a nearby mosque, firing at least six rocket-propelled grenades at US observation posts on the government building.
Insurgents also attacked a nearby US sniper team nearby and fired mortars at US positions.
Afterwards, six vehicles were seen speeding towards the building, apparently to evacuate casualties.
Another group of 10-15 gunmen were firing from the ruins of the Rashid Hotel, which had also already been pummelled by previous air strikes.
An F-18 hit the building again on Saturday with a laser-guided bomb.
Government Centre is attacked almost every day, but coordinated, sustained attacks are rare.
The last assault of similar magnitude occurred about six weeks ago.
Later Saturday night, machine-gun fire and explosions were heard as another gun battle erupted further west of Government Centre.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...