11/14/2004 3:14:00 PM GMT
U.S troops have stepped up raids in Fallujah, preventing the Red Crescent from reaching helpless residents in the city, after allowing it to reach as far as the city hospital, a spokeswoman said.
U.S. tanks fired shells at Iraqi fighters still holding out in Fallujah on Sunday which prevented Iraqi Red Crescent aid convoy from reaching civilians trapped in the city over the past six days of deadly offensive and non-stop U.S. raids.
"They will not be allowed to cross the bridge today," Marine Captain Adam Collier told reporters. Collier cited security reasons.
Powerful explosions were heard all over the city, though the U.S. military claimed earlier that its mission in Fallujah was almost accomplished and that troops have managed to crush most of the resistance based in Fallujah.
A Red Crescent convoy managed to reach the main hospital on Fallujah outskirts, but they can’t move further to reach helpless civilians, including hundreds of children who were cut off from food, water and medical aide, as it is still too dangerous for them to cross the Euphrates river.
"Our situation is very hard," said one resident contacted by telephone in the central Hay al-Dubat neighborhood on Sunday.
"We don't have food or water. My seven children all have severe diarrhea. One of my sons was wounded by shrapnel last night and he's bleeding, but I can't do anything to help him."
Moreover, wounded residents in the battle-torn city were unable to enter the hospital, where U.S. forces were forbidding the aid convoy from reaching them, Red Crescent spokeswoman Ferdus al-Ibadi told reporters.
The U.S. military officials couldn’t be reached immediately for comment.
"They are in the general hospital, but until now the Americans will not let them distribute medical supplies in the city," Ibadi said, about the aid team.
Doctor Jamal al-Karboulie, the Secretary General of the Iraqi Red Crescent "is negotiating with the Americans to let them distribute the supplies to the people," she told reporters.
A man, who said that his name was Abu Mustafa, said he saw U.S. troops and Iraqi national guards in the street where he lives as explosions rang out. "There were bodies lying in the street," Abu Mustafa said.
Abu Mustafa reported that six families nearby are facing the same catastrophe, and then he broke down in tears.
"We are still fasting, though it is the Eid (end of Ramadan feast) today. Allahu Akbar, Allahu akbar (God is great)."
Aid groups described the tragic situation in Fallujah, where U.S.-led offensive broke out last Monday to curb the Iraqi resistance there, as a humanitarian disaster.
300,000 Fallujah residents have fled the city, seeking safe refugee away from the U.S. deadly raids, whereas thousands remained trapped while fighting flares around them.
No clear reports on civilians casualties have been made yet.
Some of the residents remaining in the city said that the stench of decomposing bodies fills the air. Other resident said they saw children dying because trying to reach them for help was too dangerous .
Meanwhile an Iraqi family buried its 9-year-old boy in the house garden after he bled to death for long hours from a stomach wound.
Thousands of refugees are staying in camps outside the city.
"It was terrible. We had no water or electricity. I even saw dead bodies lying in the street and a tank rolled over them," said Mohammed Ali Shalal, a 65-year-old truck driver sheltering with a nephew in nearby Amriya, where 20 people are trapped in a two-bedroom apartment.
"We ate dry bread and drank dirty water. I can't believe I'm safe and speaking to you now."
Red Crescent secretary-general Jamal al-Karbouli said he was still waiting for a U.S. permission to get proper access to Fallujah’s helpless civilians.
"If we have any hope of entering, we will wait here, even for another night if necessary," he said. "Otherwise we will return to Amriyat al-Fallujah and distribute the goods there."
At least 10,000 Fallujans are taking refugee in nearby towns such as Amriya and Habbaniya even before the offensive broke out.