Fierce Firefight In Fallujah Leaves 13

Fierce Firefight in Fallujah Leaves 13 Dead, 14 Wounded

AP reports that US Marines in Fallujah came under fire late Thursday, starting a firefight that continued through Friday and spilled over into an industrial area of the city. The Marines fired mortar rounds and called in close air support. AP writes, “Many of those wounded, including at least one child, appeared to be civilians injured by U.S. airstrikes, hospital officials said . . . Twelve auto repair shops and two houses were reported destroyed.”

A loud explosion also went off late Friday in downtown Baghdad, but no details were available.

AP reports of US casualties:

The latest identifications reported by the Defense Department:

– Army Spc. Joseph F. Herndon, II, 21, Derby, Kan.; died Thursday, in Hawijah, Iraq, when he was shot while on guard duty; assigned to the Army’s 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division (Light); Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

– Army Pfc. Ken W. Leisten, 20, Cornelius, Ore.; died Wednesday, in Taji, Iraq, when his vehicle struck an explosive; assigned to the Army National Guards 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry; Corvallis, Ore.

909 US troops had died in Iraq as of Friday since the beginning of the war.