Several Marines injured, one Apache downed west Baghdad. A fragile truce, Kerbalaa weeps al-Hussein, chanted for resistance
Iraq-USA, Politics, 4/12/2004

The US President George W. Bush has admitted that the occupation forces faced a "difficult week" in Iraq, talking during his visit to the military Fort Hood base in Texas. Bush said talking to journalists in " last week was hard," but he added "our forces are strong and dealing with the situation." He continued, according to one attending journalist "I am praying every day for the losses to decrease..But what we are doing is correct."

Following seven days of fierce fighting during which more than 400 were killed and 1000 wounded among the Iraqis, the coalition agreed to a truce with Falouja fighters ( 50 Km to the west of Baghdad) and the cease fire is enforced and is still valid nine hours after. More than 40 American soldiers were killed during the fighting last week in Iraq.

Sources in the American marines said that several marines were injured by snipers and one Iraqi armed man was killed in a clash that took place following that despite the cease fire in the city.

Gen. Mark Kemet announced in a press conference the death of the two members of the American Apache plane which was downed by the fire of the resistance to the west of Baghdad. The coalition announced the downing of one helicopter yesterday morning. Gen. Kemet announced " one helicopter of Apache type ( A. H 64) was downed by the fire of the resistance, 5 Km to the west of Baghdad International Airport. "

Meantime, hundreds thousands of the Shiite started yesterday ( Sunday) their religious celebration of the " 40th day of the assassination of the grand daughter of Prophet Muhammad, Imam al-Hussein Bin Ali, who is also the third Shiite Imam who was murdered on the outskirts of the city of Karbala 680 A.D.

The great masses which came from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Lebanon as well as from remote areas in Iraq gathered in front of squares of al-Hussein tomb and his brother al-Abbas and marches started in which the marchers chanted slogans in support of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader, whose militias, known as al-Mahdi army, are facing the occupation forces.

Previous Stories:
  Powell on CNN: Iraqi people want and deserve democracy   (4/10/2004)
  Washington lifts banned weapons sales embargo to Iraq   (4/10/2004)
  Two Americans, one British were killed, occupation restores back al-Kout, al-Sader warns his enemy Bush: Withdrawal or revolution   (4/10/2004)

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