Around 70 US-led coalition troops and 700 Iraqi insurgents have been killed in fighting across Iraq since April 1, but there is no authoritative figure on Iraqi civilian deaths, US Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt said today.

A fragile ceasefire held between Sunni fighters and US marines in the besieged city of Fallujah, where doctors said more than 600 Iraqis, including civilians, were killed in the past week.

Despite the deaths of 12 US Marines in Iraq yesterday, President Bush declared that the US resolve in Iraq remained "unshakable".

Iraqi attackers and rebellious Shiites challenged the US-led occupation force on several fronts in fierce fighting that killed dozens of Iraqis, including women and children, and at least 13 coalition troops.

Iraqi militants and rebellious Shiites challenged the US-led occupation force on two fronts today, mounting a string of attacks across the south that left dozens of people dead.