to-house battles were continuing, with ground forces supported by Humvees and tanks working their way through the narrow streets of the bleak desert town. "We are meeting quite a bit of resistance here in Husaybah but the offensive is going well," Capt. Conlon Carabine said in an interview with CNN on Monday. "Our strategy is basically to kill the insurgents when we come across them." Carabine said U.S. and Iraqi forces plan to establish a longterm presence in the town once the insurgents are routed. "Once we clear this town, we're going to stay in this town," he said. "We're not going to leave this population." Scores of terrified Iraqis fled the besieged town on Sunday, waving white flags and hauling their belongings.
