US forces launched air attacks on the turbulent Iraqi town of Falluja today as new fighting broke out on the ground with guerrilla fighters.
Skirmishing started before noon (8 a.m. Irish time) and grew more intense over two hours as jets and helicopters mounted air strikes in support of US troops.
Insurgents had fired rocket-propelled grenades at troops moving into the town from the north, drawing heavy machinegun fire in response, local residents said. US officials had no comment.
Local people said they saw corpses in the streets and one Muslim imam said his Sunni mosque was damaged in an explosion that set two neighbouring houses ablaze.
US troops have been encircling the Sunni town, 50 kilometres west of Baghdad, for three weeks and are demanding that insurgents lay down their heavy weapons. The two-week-old ceasefire deal has been punctuated by frequent clashes.
The US-led occupying force has extended until tomorrow an offer to let fighters hand over arms but the authorities have steered clear of imposing a clear ultimatum under which they would threaten to launch a new offensive if a deadline were passed.
The crackdown on Falluja, which was loyal to Saddam Hussein, was begun after the public killing and mutilation of four Americans.
Local doctors say some 600 people were killed in the initial fighting, and many more have since fled the city of 300,000 people.