Fallujah killings of April 2003
In today's world, Fallujah killings of April 2003 has become a topic of great relevance and interest. With the advancement of technology and globalization, Fallujah killings of April 2003 has positioned itself as a central theme in various spheres of daily life. Whether in the professional, academic or personal sphere, Fallujah killings of April 2003 has acquired crucial importance and has generated debates and discussions around its implications and consequences. In this article, we will explore different aspects related to Fallujah killings of April 2003, from its origin and evolution to its effects on modern society. In addition, we will analyze various perspectives and opinions about Fallujah killings of April 2003, with the aim of offering a comprehensive and enriching vision on this topic that is so relevant today.
| Fallujah massacres of April 2003 | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2003 invasion of Iraq | |
 | |
| Location | Fallujah, Iraq |
| Date | April 28–30, 2003 |
Attack type | Civilian killings |
| Deaths | 20 local residents |
| Injured | 70+ local residents 3 U.S. Army soldiers |
| Perpetrators | U.S. 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment |
| Motive | Soldiers claimed to be under fire by gunman in the crowd, a claim investigated inconclusively by HRW |
The Fallujah massacres of April 2003 began when United States Army soldiers from the American 1st Battalion, 325th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division fired into a crowd of Iraqi civilians who were protesting their presence at a school in the city of Fallujah, killing 17 protestors.
History
On the evening of April 28, 2003, several hundred civilians ignored a curfew imposed on them by the occupying U.S. military.[1] They proceeded to march through the streets of Fallujah, past the soldiers positioned in the Ba'ath party headquarters. They wished to protest outside a local school about the United States military presence within. A U.S. Army Psychological Operations team attempted to force the civilians to disperse with announcements, but the team failed in this attempt. According to locals, at this point the United States soldiers fired upon the unarmed crowd, killing 17 and wounding more than 70 of the protesters. The U.S. suffered no casualties from the incident.[2] According to the soldiers on the ground, the 82nd Airborne soldiers inside the school responded to "effective fire" from inside the protesting crowd. Human Rights Watch inspected the area after the incident, and were unable to conclusively identify evidence of bullet damage to the building where U.S. forces were based.[3] Two days later, on April 30, the 82nd Airborne was replaced in the city by the U.S. 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. The 3rd Cavalry was significantly smaller in number and chose not to occupy the same schoolhouse where the shooting had occurred two days earlier. Seven members of the 82nd Airborne Division were hurt in a retaliatory grenade attack on the Ba'ath headquarters later that evening.[4][5]
See also
- Rules of Engagement, a 2000 film displaying a similar incident, albeit of U.S. Marines under perceived attack from a supposedly hostile crowd
References
- ^ "Violent Response: The US Army in al-Falluja". Human Rights Watch. 15 (7). June 16, 2003.
- ^ Blair, Edmund (April 29, 2003). "Anger Mounts After U.S. Troops Kill 13 Iraqi Protesters". Common Dreams News Center. Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2006-05-15.
- ^ Iraq: U.S. Should Investigate al-Falluja (Report). Human Rights Watch. June 17, 2003. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
The 18-page report... challenges the U.S. military's assertion that its troops came under direct fire from individuals in the crowd of protesters on April 28. Human Rights Watch found no conclusive evidence of bullet damage on the school where the soldiers were based. In contrast, buildings facing the school had extensive multi-caliber bullet impacts that were inconsistent with U.S. assertions that soldiers had responded with "precision fire."
- ^ "Falluja: City with history of rebellion". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. December 23, 2004. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
- ^ "Fallujah". GlobalSecurity. 2003. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
External links
- U.S. Troops Fire on Iraqi Protesters, Leaving 15 Dead
- Human Rights Watch: IV. April 28 School Protest and Shooting
- Pictures of the massacre at Fallujah, Iraq 30 April 2003
- Iraqi rage grows after Fallujah massacre
