One American killed, clashes in Falouja, occupation expects important fighting in Iraq

Commander of the American forces in Iraq Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said that the attacks of the Iraqi resistance have become "more effective, more complex and more lethal."

He attributed this matter to the flow of foreign fighters from Syria and Iran to Iraq. He said "In fact we think there are foreign fighting forces." He added "it is very clear that there is local control and leadership. We still believe there is a national leadership and a control structure."

Meantime, the American occupation forces announced that one American soldier was killed yesterday because of wounds he suffered on Wednesday in an attack by the Iraqi resistance in Sameraa to the north of Baghdad.

An American army officer said that Iraqi resistance fighters attacked American forces while holding a meeting in Falouja municipality, where clashes took place during which one Iraqi resistance man was killed and two passerby girls were injured. However, hospitals sources said that one Iraqi was killed and other four wounded in these clashes. An Iraqi policeman stressed that the killed Iraqi man was not among the attackers, rather a passerby. Eye witnesses said that two American soldiers were hit in this operation.

Earlier, Iraqi resistance men attacked an American convoy and destroyed a fuel tank near al-Amereyah to the south of Falouja. Eye witnesses said that a tank blew up when a land mine went off implanted on the sideline of the road. They said that one American soldier was killed and another wounded in this attack.