Azzaman, March 19, 2011

Iraq’s restive city of Falluja is under tight curfew following anti-government demonstrations and attacks targeting Iraqi security forces and U.S. occupation troops.

Three houses belonging to police officers were blown up and there were demonstrations in the city demanding the release of detainees and implementation of pledges made by the government to improve public services.

A police source, refusing to be named, said security forces were conducting a search of what they believed to be perpetrators of the latest attacks.

"Troops from the army, police and emergency units have began an intensive search campaign following reports of the presence of armed elements in Falluja," the source said.

He said several of Falluja’s neighborhoods were cordoned off and five people were arrested.

Separately, the source said there was an attack by improvised explosive devices against a convoy of U.S. troops in southern Iraq. There were no details of casualties.

There are about 50,000 U.S. occupation troops in Iraq. To evade attacks, the troops have scaled back their movements outside their bases, leaving the fight against Iraq rebels to Iraqi forces.