You could see bodies in the street surrounded by dogs... [View All]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/b6135ee30540be0ddb85967752239fac.htm

IRAQ: More civilians flee al-Qaim as US offensive continues

BAGHDAD, 4 October (IRIN) - BAGHDAD, 4 October (IRIN) More than 900 Iraqi families have fled from the al-Qaim district near the Syrian border to escape a US military offensive against Islamic militants and the exodus is continuing, humanitarian workers in al-Qaim said. snip

"We can see raids inside the village and every house they (the US troops) enter, they leave in a state of total destruction," said Abdul Kareem Muhammady, who was holed up with his family in the village of Romanna.

"We cannot leave our house and we are here without food and water, because if we tried to venture out we could be shot dead by either US troops or insurgents," he told IRIN by telephone. snip

The residents said they could see black hooded gunmen carrying machine guns and grenades in the streets of these two villages and many civilians had been caught in the crossfire between the two sides, they added.

Samy Yonis, who had escaped on foot from the village of Romanna with two children said; "We left Romanna in very difficult conditions. You could see bodies in the street surrounded by dogs."