Bombardment renewed on Falluja

The Iraqi warplanes yesterday morning renewed its bombardment of Falluja city to the west of Baghdad. According to a medical source, the new American raids which targeted the southern east of Falluja left at least two Iraqis dead.

The "Martyrs and Industrial quarters" in Falluja were exposed on Tuesday to American artillery and air bombardment that resulted in several casualties and the fleeing of several families from the region in search of a safe haven. Fire erupted in several buildings as a result of the bombardment.

News reports were contradictory on the number of the victims of the bombardment. While the American army announced in a statement that some 100 Iraqi fighters were killed, the city hospital received five dead and large number of wounded.

One American military spokesman said that his forces used jets and the artillery to attack positions and shelters used by the fighters in retaliation to their attacks on the American forces, but he did not indicate the occurrence of losses in the lines of his forces as a result.

In al-Sader city in Baghdad, one American soldier was killed yesterday morning and two others injured in a mortar bomb explosion in the city which is considered the fortress of al-Mahdi army, the supporter of the Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sader.

The higher commission of al-Mahdi army announced on Tuesday its commitment to cease fire in al-Sader city except in case of self defense or the American forces entering the allies of the city. This, however, following violent clashes with the American forces that resulted in killing 41 Iraqis and wounding other 170, according to health sources.