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04/08/2004:

"Fighting is fierce in Iraq"

Fighting is fierce in Iraq as clashes spread
Alliance troops in Iraq were locked in the fiercest fighting Wednesday since the fall of Saddam Hussein a year ago, waging a two-front war against Sunni Muslim insurgents west of Baghdad and a fast-spreading Shiite uprising in the south and center of the country.

Shiite militants control some Iraq cities
Up to three southern Iraq cities are under at least partial control by the followers of a radical Shiite cleric this morning. But the top U.S. general in Iraq is vowing their hold will soon be broken by an operation called Resolute Sword.

40 die as US bombs mosque in Iraq
US Marines in the third day of a battle to pacify Fallujah fired rockets that hit a mosque compound filled with worshippers on Wednesday, and witnesses said as many as 40 people were killed. Violence spread to key cities in Iraq.

'We will fight until the end, until each one of them dies'
In the distance a US military observation drone buzzed past, and below, at a quiet crossroads in the village of Garma, shopkeepers watched unperturbed as dozens of masked, heavily armed men stood around chatting about the fight for which they said they longed.

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Thursday, April 8th, News Update posted:

Five US Marines dead in Fallujah
FIVE US Marines were killed today by gunfire from within the mosque in the Iraqi city of Fallujah that was under attack from US forces, a Central Command spokesman said.

US marines pressing an offensive Fallujah, west of Baghdad, bombed a central mosque earlier and killed up to 40 insurgents holed up inside, a marine officer in Iraq said.