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Iraq's elite counter-terrorism forces gather ahead of an operation to re-take the Islamic State-held City of Fallujah. Khalid Mohammed/AP Photo

Elite Iraqi army unit battles to re-take key Islamic State stronghold

50,000 civilians are thought to be trapped in the city of Fallujah.

IRAQI FORCES THRUST into the city of Fallujah from three directions today, marking a new and perilous urban phase in the week-old operation to retake the jihadist bastion.

The drive to recapture the first city to be lost from government control in 2014 came as fighting also raged in neighbouring Syria, leaving huge numbers of civilians exposed.

Led by the elite counter-terrorism service (CTS), Iraq’s best trained and most seasoned fighting unit, the forces pushed into Fallujah before dawn, commanders said.

“Iraqi forces entered Fallujah under air cover from the international coalition, the Iraqi air force and army aviation, and supported by artillery and tanks,” said Lieutenant General Abdelwahab al-Saadi, the commander of the operation.

“There is resistance from Daesh,” he added, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

The forces have not yet ventured into the city centre but they recaptured some areas in a southern suburb after crossing a bridge, and took up positions on the eastern and northern fringes.

Mideast Iraq Islamic State Smoke billows on the horizon as Iraqi military forces prepare for an offensive into Fallujah. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

The involvement of the elite CTS marks the start of a phase of urban combat in a city where in 2004 US forces fought some of their toughest battles since the Vietnam War.

The week-old operation had previously focused on retaking rural areas around Fallujah, which lies just 50 kilometres west of Baghdad.

It had been led by the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force, which is dominated by Tehran-backed Shiite militias.

They were still in action today, attempting to clear an area northwest of Fallujah called Saqlawiya, officers said.

Mideast Iraq Islamic State Members of Nujaba movement, an armed Shiite group, carry the coffins of two of their colleagues, who were killed fighting Islamic State extremists outside Fallujah, their families said, Anmar Khalil / AP/Press Association Images Anmar Khalil / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

Trapped civilians

Only a few hundred families have managed to slip out of the Fallujah area ahead of the assault on the city, with an estimated 50,000 civilians still trapped inside, sparking fears the jihadists could try to use them as human shields.

The only families who were able to flee so far lived in outlying areas, with the biggest wave of displaced reaching camps on Saturday night.

“Our resources in the camps are now very strained and with many more expected to flee we might not be able to provide enough drinking water for everyone,” said Nasr Muflahi, the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Iraq director.

We expect bigger waves of displacement the fiercer the fighting gets.

In Amriyat al-Fallujah, a government-controlled town to the south of the jihadist stronghold, civilians trickled in, starving and exhausted after walking through the countryside for hours at night, dodging IS surveillance.

Mideast Iraq Islamic State Internally displaced civilians from Fallujah flee their homes during fighting between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

“I just decided to risk everything. I was either going to save my children or die with my children,” said Ahmad Sabih (40) who reached the NRC-run camp early on Sunday.

A senior police commander said his forces had assisted 800 civilians fleeing areas north of Fallujah today.

Fallujah is one of just two major urban centres in Iraq still held by IS jihadists.

They also hold Mosul, the country’s second city and de-facto jihadist capital in Iraq, east of which Kurdish-led forces launched a fresh offensive yesterday.

The jihadists holed up in Fallujah are believed to number around 1,000.

The Aleppo bombardment

It is not yet clear what resources IS is prepared to invest in the defence of Fallujah, which has been almost completely isolated for months, but the city looms large in modern jihadist mythology.

The Week In Mideast Photos Iraqi Federal police arrive to join the forces surrounding Fallujah last week. Rwa Faisal / AP Rwa Faisal / AP / AP

Fallujah is expected to give Iraqi forces one of their toughest battles yet but IS has appeared weakened in recent months and has been losing territory consistently in the past 12 months.

According to the government, the organisation that has sewn havoc across Iraq and Syria over the past two years now controls around 14 percent of the national territory, down from 40 percent in 2014.

However, as the “caliphate” it declared two years ago unravels, IS has been reverting to its old tactics of bombings against civilians and commando raids.

A fresh wave of bomb attacks claimed by IS struck the Baghdad area today, killing 11 people in three separate blasts.

Mideast Iraq Iraqi security forces stand near the site of a bomb attack in Baghdad northern Shaab district, Iraq, earlier today. Picture by: Picture by:

In northern Syria, clashes raged around the flashpoint town of Marea as IS pressed an assault on non-jihadist rebels.

The IS onslaught has threatened tens of thousands of people, many of them already displaced from other areas, who have sought refuge in camps near the Turkish border.

Gerry Simpson, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, told AFP 165,000 civilians were now stuck between IS fighters, Kurdish forces and the border.

“What more does the US, EU and UN need to call on Turkey to give these people refuge,” he asked.

In divided Aleppo city, 15 people, including two children, were killed in the rebel-controlled eastern neighbourhoods in heavy bombardment this morning, the civil defence said.

© – AFP 2016

Read: US strikes have killed a key Islamic State leader

Read: 25 police recruits killed by suicide bomber in Yemen

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    Mute Ken Collins
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:20 PM

    I don’t think it’s working at all. None of the people who bought 132 cars will but a 14 edge car. It’s simply moving around the timing of buying a car. Do they really think that people are so stupid that they could generate NEW customers by adding a two? It’s like the simpsons where they give Malibou Stacey a hat.

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    Mute Nelly
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:30 PM

    It’s not going to make one bit of a difference it’s just going to balance the car sales out through out the year and not just the first 3months of the year.do they think people are goin to buy more cars now cos of an extra number on the car reg.silly idea

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    Mute Egg Mcmuffin
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:35 PM

    Yeah. And that Gathering thing was a stupid idea too, wasn’t it? God forbid something new/innovative would be tried. Can we not all just sit around & moan instead?

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    Mute M
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:42 PM

    Egg muffin, yes the gathering was stupid and just another play to juggle the figures. I was home last week to visit my wife and children. While at the airport waiting to get back on a flight to the Middle East, I was approached by some sort of a marketing person ultimately they asked the question did I come to Ireland for the gathering? I said yes, to see my kids! What an absolute con “The gathering” is just a play on figures.

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    Mute M
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:46 PM

    Ken, is that Tesco Ken?

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    Mute Richard Fennelly
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 8:08 PM

    Nelly to balance sales over the year was the reason

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    Mute David
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 8:19 PM

    Ken – the aim wasn’t to increase sales, but to balance them over the year so we wouldn’t have empty car dealerships during the summer. Seems to have worked.

    M – there was a 20% increase in tourists from North America so far this year. That is a fact. Much as you may hate to have to admit it, given your generally negative attitude, the Gathering is working.

    There’s a lot wrong with this country, but there’s no point in picking at things which are actually working.

    34
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    Mute M
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 8:46 PM

    David, lets wait a year to decide if the gathering was a success. As an Irish person who was forced to live and work abroad by the crazy policies of our government I can honestly say that in the 10 countries I visit with my job I have seen no reference to the gathering. I think it’s just a coincidence. I get paid in US dollars up to about two months ago it was very strong against the Euro. If I was a potential tourist from the US where would I go on holiday if that was strong? Europe! Fact nothing to do with the gathering hype, by the way the Dollar is down now, watch the US tourist rate plummet in the coming months.

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    Mute Egg Mcmuffin
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:10 PM

    Good man, M. In the face of an overwhelming increase in Tourism, you discard the evidence and opt instead for a miraculous coincidence. Proof definitive of your inherent all-consuming anti-Government bias. No doubt that’s why you seem to blame this Government for the legacy of the last. I’d hate to be so afflicted by myopia.

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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:17 PM

    Ha ha! The “legacy of the past” my hole. They continued it. The clowns. And the clowns who support them.

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    Mute stoned.walled
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:21 PM

    That’s a good thing for the car industry which has had huge job losses / creditors burned

    Spread out sales brings advantages such as
    1. Better cash flow
    2. Can hire full time employees and know that they will be busy most of the year
    Etc etc

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    Mute M
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:22 PM

    Egg-head live your life a little and the decide if Inda & co. are doing a good job or not. I’m bitter because the current policies of the present government, drove me to quitting a good job in Ireland and leave my kids and have to live 4000 miles away just to feed my family. Property tax, septic tank tax, water charges, do I really have to go on!

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    Mute stoned.walled
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:50 PM

    @M

    Your story doesn’t add up! You quit a good job to move away from your family and get paid in USD which as you say fluctuates greatly against the Euro. The taxes that drove you away still have to be paid.

    Less whinging and negative outlook on life will do wonders for you

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    Mute richardmccarthy
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 10:47 PM

    There is nothing at all wrong with the country,the problem is the people living in it.

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    Mute Bilbo Baggins
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 10:47 AM

    Spreading the buying of cars across the year is akin to the story of publicans wanting minimum price of drink in shops to protect ppl to alcohol lol.
    They want to increase sales. If they wanted to be innovative they could have removed the year altogether. That would put pressure on them to actually offer something other than a 2 instead of the 1 and ‘throwing in the mats’

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    Mute Graham Browne
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:22 PM

    Coming from the ground floor of the motor industry as a car sales person all these figures are just registrations and not actual sales. Worst year I have ever had in the industry for sales.

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    Mute stayfrostynatty
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:51 PM

    Mr browne thanks for the info,this government is always getting figures off their a**

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    Mute 19Ferg
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:59 PM

    It has been a shite year alright !! But the idea behind the 2 plates is sound and is in line with the UK. It’s only logical that people who buy a car in August should get more for it than someone who bought it in January ! I work in the industry too.
    SIMI are trying to generate a buzz simple as.

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    Mute 19Ferg
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 8:02 PM

    @stayfrosty these figures are from SIMI the industries body so not the government

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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:18 PM

    Over to you Karol Doran!

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    Mute Darragh Gibbons
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:39 PM

    Most of the 132′s I’ve seen are hire cars an commercials, so I don’t swallow any of the numbers that are being put out there. The motor trade in Ireland will continue to struggle until the VRT is reformed/abolished and the registration system is changed to one which doesn’t make the year as obvious. We should also introduce personalised plates as many ppl would happily pay a few quid to have their own number.

    We are still getting flogged poor spec cars compare to our neighbours as VRT is being charged on EVERY little extra.Its a scam.

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    Mute Gavin Cooke
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:31 PM

    How many of these new 132 regs are dealers with demo models sitting on garage forecourts,just because reg numbers are up dosent mean sales are up

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    Mute Johnnyi Harlyknewya
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:26 PM

    132′s are old now. I think there should be no indication of the year of registration on a numberplate- ruins it.

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    Mute Nun on Yokes
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 8:18 PM

    Can the government please change the week to include 2 Fridays so I can sell off more of my “Thank Fock it’s Friday” T-shirts…..or is it only done to benefit manufacturers outside Ireland?

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    Mute recoltes
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 10:09 PM

    In a nutshell NoY, superb.

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    Mute willie
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:44 PM

    So it isn’t working as it should do over 12 months? Surprised? No

    11
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    Mute Karol Doran
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:17 PM

    It’s a good idea in fairness and it seems to be working.

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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 8:14 PM

    How is it a good idea? Exactly?!

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    Mute Karol Doran
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:03 PM

    Read the title.

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    Mute Declan Moran
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:04 PM

    False economy

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    Mute Enola Straight
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:16 PM

    And this will impact on 14 Car registrations no doubt!

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    Mute recoltes
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:26 PM

    In Belgium you get a car reg with your driving licence that you keep for life. Has no bearing on the year of the car and you keep the same reg when you change car.

    Making the year obvious as we do here is all about bringing in VRT by pressuring people to change cars regularly. With the new reg system a new car is dated after only 6 months.

    It’s short sighted as most of the money for cars leaves the country to Germany, Japan, US etc.

    Having a birth date on a car is like putting a best before date on them, lessens the joy of looking after a car when it’s being dated by a number every year. A number that shouts depreciation…

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    Mute M
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:33 PM

    Good comment, what a lot of people don’t realise as well is that we drive much lower spec cars than the rest of the world due to Vrt, everything is a taxable extra.

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    Mute Darren Norris
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 11:23 AM

    It is not a good idea, just a stupid policy, car sales are still down alot on last years numbers. So it is just delaying and distorting the tax take and retail spending figures.

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    Mute Graham Crosbie
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:39 PM

    Probably because the blue shirter Fine Gael supporters have money to buy new cars because the government help them get rich and screw the poor this country disgusts me to the core it repulsive and corrupt and the people disgust me to your horrible greedy selfish people there is no doubt

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    Mute Tim Higgins
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:58 PM

    HUGE sales! Well no not really there actually down, lol who’s legs are they trying to pull. The only way to sell cars is give the people value for their money. Stop screwing us on road tax of which only 2% only goes to the up keep of our roads, 70% vat on fuel, 23% vat on safety equipment ie air bags, abs, illegal VRT outlawed by europe but still applied here ect.

    9
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    Mute Ed Moran
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 8:22 PM

    It was done so people won’t have unlucky 13 reg plates.
    They tried to fudge the figures back in 2009. Instead of starting the numbers at 1 like every other year they started them at 200, to make it look like people had bought them.

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    Mute Philip
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:00 PM

    Again we never get a breakdown of the figures

    How many high end cars were sold versus mid range and low end cars

    6
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    Mute Marcus O Toole
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 11:27 PM

    I study the industry so I had this out with the SIMI on their fb page a couple of months ago. Their view is the government need to fill a tax hole and they (the dail) are using whatever revenue stream they can, no surprises there. The commenter on fb advised that the previous scrappage scheme was a success as it reduced VRT and would indeed help to increase sales and also generate further revenue for the taxman to keep them happy. Therefore the SIMI are suggesting that this (scrappage scheme) will be lobbied for in the next budget. I would suggest that if this 132 irks you then contact the SIMI and advise them that in order for you to feel happy you would preferr not to pay 4grand in VRT for a car that is of a lower spec to high spec UK models for the same money.

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    Mute Kirby Matt
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:51 PM

    I have number with 132, on it if people happy to spend €10,000 on a number plate. Silly me thought there was a recession on,

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    Mute Antonov Merinov
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 9:51 PM

    Obtain a fictitional address up north.
    Purchase your car there and enjoy the savings.
    Why line the irish revenue’s pocket?
    Where there is a will there is a way.

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    Mute Darren Burke
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:35 PM

    13 dislikes 2 likes haha

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    Mute Kirby Matt
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 7:51 PM

    Number plate

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    Mute Paul Murphy
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    Sep 2nd 2013, 11:54 PM

    So basically it did nothing to boost sales and instead of day one sales in January it just staggered them.

    Silly idea in the first place.

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    Mute Fergal Reid
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 11:20 AM

    I’ve always liked our logical registration plates.

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    Mute Cian Devane
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 10:09 AM

    Why don’t they just ditch the numericals and return to the old regs

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    Mute Adam Power
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    Sep 3rd 2013, 6:09 AM

    Dad bought one HES A GOOD STATISTIC YES!

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