Intelligence gathered by the Americans appeared to be consistent with Jubouri's claims.
Military officials here said they have seen an influx of fighters and weapons since the Fallujah offensive. Maj. Clint Nussberger, the intelligence officer for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, said many of the insurgents were locals who went to Fallujah to fight and then came back. He estimated that between 200 and 500 such fighters returned to the area "with more skills than when they left."
A driver catches some sleep in Babil before the departure of a supply convoy.
(Jackie Spinner -- The Washington Post)
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Johnson said the U.S.-led force would take a methodical approach to wiping out the insurgency in north Babil.
Last month, a platoon of Marines and Iraqi National Guardsmen established a new police station in a government building on the southern edge of Latifiyah. Although they acknowledged that they did not control the town, U.S. military officials said they would ultimately take it back from the insurgents.
"I could take Latifiyah in an afternoon, but why am I going to kill innocent civilians?" Johnson said.
Many people in the town said they already feel like they are under attack. The city has no water or electricity, said residents, some of whom described the outages as a form of punishment by the Americans.
Insurgents, their faces covered with scarves and masks, had set up numerous checkpoints around the city where they questioned drivers about their background, religion and destination.
Schools and official buildings were closed last week, and witnesses said there were no signs of police or Iraqi National Guardsmen in the city.
Special correspondent Omar Fekeiki contributed to this report.
