The campaign First Battle of Fallujah

u.s. marines 1st battalion, 5th marines fire @ insurgent positions during first battle of fallujah.

on 1 april, brigadier general mark kimmitt, deputy director of u.s. military operations in iraq, promised overwhelming response blackwater usa deaths, stating pacify city.

on 3 april 2004, 1st marine expeditionary force received written command joint task force, ordering offensive operations against fallujah. order went against wishes of marine commanders on ground wanted conduct surgical strikes , raids against suspected of involvement in blackwater deaths.

on night of 4 april 2004, american forces launched major assault in attempt re-establish security in fallujah encircling around 2000 troops. @ least 4 homes hit in aerial strikes, , there sporadic gunfire throughout night.

by morning of 5 april 2004, headed 1st marine expeditionary force, american units had surrounded city aim towards retaking it. american troops blockaded roads leading city humvees , concertina wire. took on local radio station , handed out leaflets urging residents remain inside homes , american forces identify insurgents , fallujans involved in blackwater deaths.

it estimated there 12–24 separate hardcore groups of insurgents, armed rpgs, machine guns, mortars , anti-aircraft weapons, of supplied iraqi police. 6 april 2004, u.s. military sources said marines may not attempt control center of town .

during first battle of fallujah, u.s. marines 2nd battalion, 1st marines block off fallujah s highway 1.

in opening days, reported third of civilian population had fled city.

the siege forced closing of fallujah s 2 main hospitals, fallujah general hospital , jordanian hospital, re-opened during ceasefire on 9 april 2004. on date, port visit jebel ali aircraft carrier uss george washington (cvn-73) cancelled, , george washington carrier strike group , embarked carrier air wing 7 ordered remain on station in persian gulf fighting intensified between coalition forces , iraqi insurgents around fallujah.

the resulting engagements set off widespread fighting throughout central iraq , along lower euphrates, various elements of iraqi insurgency taking advantage of situation , commencing simultaneous operations against coalition forces. period marked emergence of mahdi army, militia of shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr, major armed faction which, @ time, actively participated in anti-coalition operations. happenings punctuated surge of sunni rebellion in city of ramadi. during period, number of foreigners captured insurgent groups. killed outright, whilst others held hostages in attempt barter political or military concessions. elements of iraqi police , iraqi civil defense corps turned on coalition forces or abandoned posts.

the rebels in fallujah held on americans attempted tighten hold on city. air bombardments rained on insurgent positions throughout city, lockheed ac-130 gunships attacked targets gatling guns , howitzers number of times. scout snipers became core element of marines strategy, averaging 31 kills apiece in battle, while psyop tactical psychological operations teams tactical psychological operations detachment 910 tried lure iraqis out open scout snipers reading scripts aimed @ angering insurgent fighters , blaring ac/dc along metallica , other rock music on loud speakers.

after 3 days of fighting, estimated united states had gained control on 25% of city, although suggested insurgents had lost number of key defensive positions.

due fact american attacks taking toll on civilians iraqi insurgents, coalition forces faced growing criticism within iraqi governing council, adnan pachachi said, these operations americans unacceptable , illegal.

al-jazeera reporter ahmed mansur, , cameraman laith mushtaq, 2 non-embedded journalists covering conflict since 3 april 2004, reported unknown source stated united states insisted reporters withdrawn city, pre-condition ceasefire.

at noon on 9 april 2004 under pressure governing council, paul bremer announced u.s. forces unilaterally holding ceasefire, stating wanted facilitate negotiations between iraqi governing council, insurgents , city spokespersons, , allow government supplies delivered residents

as consequence, much-needed humanitarian relief had been held fighting , blockade managed enter city, notably major convoy organized private citizens, businessmen , clerics baghdad joint shi a-sunni effort. u.s. forces used time occupy , scavenge abandoned houses , convert them de facto bunkers, while number of insurgents did same.

at point, estimated 600 iraqis had been killed, @ least half of whom non-combatants. although hundreds of insurgents had been killed in assault, city remained firmly in control. american forces had managed gain foothold in industrial district south of city. end of major operations time being led negotiations between various iraqi elements , coalition forces, punctuated occasional firefights.

on 13 april 2004, u.s. marines fell under attack insurgents located within mosque. airstrike destroyed mosque, prompting public outcry.

on 15 april 2004, american f-16 fighting falcon dropped 2,000-pound (910 kg) jdam gps guided bomb on northern district of fallujah.

on 19 april 2004, ceasefire seemed consolidated plan reintroduce joint us/iraqi patrols in city. on time arrangement broke down , city remained major center of opposition u.s.-appointed iraqi interim government. additionally, composition of armed groups in fallujah changed during following months, shifting domination secular, nationalist , ex-ba athist groups towards marked influence of warlords ties organized crime , groups following radical wahhabi stance.

on 27 april 2004, insurgents attacked u.s. defensive positions, forcing americans call in air support. in response, on 28 april 2004, aircraft carrier george washington launched squadrons vfa-136, vfa-131, vf-11, , vf-143 fly combat air sorties against insurgents in fallujah. during operation, aircraft carrier air wing 7 dropped 13 gbu-12 paveway ii laser-guided bombs on insurgent positions , provided combat air support 1st marine expeditionary force.

us withdrawal

on 1 may 2004, united states withdrew fallujah, lieutenant general james conway announced had unilaterally decided turn on remaining operations newly formed fallujah brigade - sunni security force formed cia, armed u.s. weapons , equipment under command of former ba athist army general jasim mohammed saleh. several days later, when became clear saleh had been involved in military actions against shi ites under saddam hussein, u.s. forces announced muhammed latif instead lead brigade. nevertheless, group dissolved , had turned on u.s. weapons insurgency september, brigades soldiers declared insurgents - signing association of jihadist , nationalist groups vied authority in town. prompting second battle of fallujah in november, occupied city.

during interim period between 2 battles, u.s. forces maintained presence @ camp baharia, few miles outside city limits.