US marines under fire in Fallujah

Up to 40 Iraqi insurgents attacked US marines in northern Fallujah today, setting off a heavy gunbattle, marines said, as an agreement bringing peace to the besieged city hit snags.

Explosions were heard coming from the scene of the fighting, and Cobra helicopter gunships were blasting with Gatling guns from the air.

The attack came as US Marine commanders said no guerrillas had come forward so far to turn in their heavy weapons, a key tenet of the agreement that began being implemented yesterday. The marines, in response, halted a key commitment on their side in the deal, the return of Fallujah residents to the city.

The attack began just after daybreak when the insurgents launched a frontal assault on the marines' position with a barrage of rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire, marines said.

Lieutenant Colonel Brennan Byrne said there were marine casualties but would not give details.

Captain Matt Watt, of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines regiment, said he doubted the battle would scupper the agreement, suggesting it was an isolated attack by a relatively small group of guerrillas.

But the failure to turn in any weapons was worrying, Marines suggested.

“These may be early indications that the insurgents may not be living up to the requirements of the agreement,” Byrne said.

US commanders have warned that they could launch an all-out attack on the city if the agreement – announced on Monday after negotiations between US officials and Fallujah civil leaders – falls through. So far, however, Marines were only putting parts of the deal on hold in response.

Several hundred Iraqi police and security forces moved back into the city yesterday, and a curfew was pushed back by two hours to 9pm.

Announcements aired in the city detailed how residents should turn in to police and city officials any heavy weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, rockets and bomb-making material.