10/29 News

The following story was posted on Al Jazeera (so you have to take it with a grain of salt, or even the whole shaker!):
Two Iraqis have been killed and at least six people wounded, including a US marine, in clashes between fighters and US troops in Ramadi.

"The toll from the clashes is two dead and five wounded, including a policeman," Dr Amir al-Ubaidi of Ramadi's main hospital said on Thursday.

A marine officer said one marine had been injured in fighting that erupted after a patrol came under fire during a pre-dawn weapons search.

Iraqi police said fighters on Thursday fired three rocket-propelled grenades at a US base and the regional government office in Ramadi, 110km west of Baghdad.

Iraq's US-backed interim government has vowed to crush fighters in Ramadi ahead of national assembly elections scheduled for January.

Search operations

Iraqi journalist Mahmud Abd Allah told Aljazeera US forces were engaged in weapons search operations in different neighbourhoods in Ramadi city.

"The forces have called on citizens through loudspeakers to stay in their homes, threatening to arrest or open fire at any one who violates the instructions," he added.

"Ramadi city is paralysed," Abd Allah said. "Schools and governmental departments are all closed, as the forces have closed all roads," he added. "US forces blow up all explosive devices they find," he added.

The Iraqi journalist went on to say that US troops found a car loaded with explosives, near Muaawiya mosque west of the city, and blew it up.

"US forces have also detonated a citizen's house, arresting three of his family members, claiming they have found explosives in his house," Abd Allah said.

"However, the owner of the house confirmed that no explosives were found in his house, saying that US forces said so to blow up his house and arrest three of his sons"