By Fadel al-Badrani
swissinfo

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - The lakeside resort just upriver from the besieged Iraqi city of Falluja has never been so full. But the children playing on the lawns and beaches of the Habbaniya Tourist City are not there on holiday.

They are here because they had to flee their homes in the city of Falluja, which has been pounded by air strikes and artillery bombardments for weeks ahead of an expected U.S. offensive to capture it from rebels.

“We made residences available to 300 families of those fleeing from Falluja and tents available to 150 families,” said the resort’s Karim al-Dulaimi.

Charities have brought food and clothing for the refugees, who do not know what they will find when they return when the fighting is over.

U.S. and Iraqi forces had already wrested control of Falluja Hospital by early afternoon on Monday, separated from the main part of the city by the Euphrates river.

Now, those residents still in Falluja can only take the wounded or the dying to clinics lacking the resources to deal with casualties from air and ground bombardments and clashes between rebels fighting U.S. and Iraqi forces.

U.S. commanders say they face up to 6,000 fighters, some Saddam Hussain loyalists, some followers of Jordanian al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and they may have to fight house by house for the city.

More than half Falluja’s 300,000 people, including most of the women and children, have left the city, 50 km (32 miles) west of Baghdad.

“We have left our homes. There are 16 of our family here,” said Um Ahmad, who is staying at the Habbaniya resort. “We need help.”

U.S. forces dropped leaflets in the Sunni Muslim city last week, warning civilians to get out for their own safety. Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said on Monday he had given U.S. and Iraqi forces the go-ahead to clear Falluja of “terrorists”.

Health Crisis

Doctors urged aid groups and the Health Ministry to send medical help to the city, where they say clinics are struggling to cope.

“There are dead and wounded, but I cannot tell you the number because we are still busy dealing with casualties,” said doctor Ahmed Ghanem at the Central Clinic, which has replaced Falluja Hospital as the main treatment centre.

“Falluja Hospital and its medical team are now under American control. We cannot use their services. There is a health crisis in Falluja. We are only a few doctors with moderate means offering our services to casualties.”

The U.S. military accused foreign militants of stopping civilians fleeing Falluja on Monday and planning to use women and children as human shields.

Those who have stayed hope the world can stop an assault they say will exact a heavy civilian toll.

“Does international law allow a city to be totally destroyed and look as though an earthquake has struck it?” asked Jabbar Hussein, 65.

swissinfo