18 US soldiers were killed in Falluja
The American forces said that 18 American soldiers and five Iraqi soldiers were killed since the beginning of the large scale attack against Falluja city on Monday. A spokesman for these forces said that 69 American soldiers and 34 Iraqi soldiers were also injured in the fighting.
In the same context, A German medical source said that 102 of the American injured soldiers arrived in Germany since the beginning of the fighting in Falluja. News reports quoted one American military official as saying that more than 500 gunmen were killed since the beginning of the battles in Falluja city to the west of Baghdad, while other military officials estimated the number of killed gunmen at 600.
On the other hand, the American armies chief of staff Richard Meyers said in statements to the ABC TV that violent fighting is taking place in Falluja and that hundreds of gunmen were either killed or injured.
On Thursday evening the American forces continued its air and artillery bombardment of the city and the explosions were heard in the north western part of the city. The bombardment extended to cover the southern parts of the city where the advancing marines are trying to cordon the gunmen in what is considered to be the beginning of the second phase of its attack on the city.
One American military source in Falluja said that the American forces seek to control the city by the fall of September morning despite the fierce resistance they are facing, stressing that 75% of it is already controlled.
The source continued that these forces need other 10 days at least to clear what he called pocket of resistance which might remain in the city.
Moreover, the American forces in Iraq said in a statement that it had bombarded two mosques in Falluja under the pretext that gunmen are using it for opening fire on these forces and take it as a headquarters for their operation and to pile up weapons and explosives as a safe haven.
In another development one American military spokeswoman said that two Cobra helicopters were obliged to land after they were hit by light weapons and anti armored vehicles missiles, stressing that no casualties were reported in the crew of the two planes.