US forces push deeper into Fallujah

US army and marine units roared into the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah through a breach near the railroad station at dawn today, facing lighter-than-expected resistance as they began house-to-house searches in the second day of their drive to retake the city from Islamic militants.

Heavy machine gun fire crackled from the eastern and central parts of the city and black smoke rose from near a mosque.

The military said the advance into the north-western Jolan section was going “smoothly” with minimal collateral damage despite round-the-clock bombardment.

Overnight today the skies over Fallujah lit up with flashes of air and artillery barrages as US forces laid siege to the city that had become the major sanctuary for Islamic extremists who fought marines to a standstill last April.

A US military spokesman estimated that 42 insurgents were killed across the city in bombardment and skirmishes before the main assault began yesterday. Two marines were killed when their bulldozer flipped over into the Euphrates near Fallujah.