- FALLUJAH, Iraq (Xinhuanet)
-- Dozens of Iraqi people, including at least 20 medics, were killed in
a US air raid on a government clinic in the center of Iraq's western city
of Fallujah overnight, witnesses said Tuesday.
-
- "Over 20 medics were killed in the air raid
and dozens others,including wounded people, were killed as a result of
the US raid on the city early Tuesday," local residents told Xinhua.
-
- The sources said the one-storey Community Clinic,
which had been receiving wounded insurgents and civilians, was totally
destroyed.
-
- The building was one of the three Community Clinics
erected in the city to substitute the main hospital, which was seized by
US and Iraqi forces Monday night, just hours before a full-scale offensive
began.
-
- Medics in the city told Xinhua that their clinics
were running out of medical supplies and the only ambulance they had was
hit by US fire.
-
- Fierce battles continued on Tuesday as the US-Iraqi
forcespenetrated the heart of the city from the northwestern Jolan district
and al-Mualemeen district in the east.
-
- Xinhua reporter saw that five tanks were set ablaze
in a publicfield near the city center and another tank was also on fire
in a nearby main street.
-
- The US-led forces faced stiff resistance from the
fightersdefending the city, which forced the US troops to withdraw from
several positions in the battlefield.
-
- Roofs of high buildings were turned to fighting positions
for snipers from both sides shooting at anything moving, even animals.
-
- Early Monday, US Marines backed by Iraqi troops started
an all-out offensive in a bid to regain control of the rebel-held city
as part of the government's efforts to pacify security situation ahead
of the January elections.
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