Iraqi resistance brazenly roams street of third largest city

Insurgents on rampage in north Iraq city of Mosul
11 Nov 2004 10:49:38 GMT

Source: Reuters

By Maher al-Thanoon

MOSUL, Iraq, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Insurgents set police stations ablaze, stole weapons and brazenly roamed the streets of Mosul on Thursday as Iraq's third largest city appeared to be sliding out of control, residents said.

Explosions and fire from assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades could be heard echoing across the city and columns of smoke rose from at least two police stations set alight.

"It's crazy, really, really crazy," said Abdallah Fathi, a resident who witnessed a police station being attacked.

"Yesterday, the city felt like hell, today it could be the same or worse."

The northern city of Mosul has seen frequent outbreaks of violence, but residents and reporters said the past two days were the worst since the end of the war last year.

As U.S. forces battle to suppress insurgents in the rebel city of Falluja, it appears many fighters may have fled to other cities where they are launching new attacks.

In the past three days, there has been a step up in guerrilla activity in Samarra, Baiji, Baquba, Tikrit, Ramadi, areas of Baghdad and in the holy city of Kerbala to the south.