Rebels on the Run, Locals Too
In the barren streets of this dusty town, Iraqis say the U.S. Army has chased away the foreign fighters who for two weeks staged sporadic battles with the Americans. Also gone are nearly all of the town’s 20,000 residents. The sheep munching shrubs on the outskirts appear to outnumber people. Over the last two weeks, three out of four residents fled the town, which military strategists say was an insurgent safe haven. A few have since returned, but many have sought temporary shelter with friends and relatives across the Euphrates River in the village of Anah. Full Story