American officials estimated that at least 50 Iraqi fighters had been killed.

Meanwhile, some Iraqi fighters had taken position in the tower overlooking the courtyard, just over the west wall.

Two infantry units fought very close together, with the Iraqi fighters in between.

Perhaps the best Iraqi fighters, until now so noticeably absent, had finally turned out to do battle.

A total of 34 American soldiers and 2,320 Iraqi fighters were killed.

Iraqi fighters were waiting in ambush and had fired the first shots; one of them got him.

Pilots returning to this air base said Iraqi fighters seemed to be avoiding target areas.

But Iraqi fighters were coming from outside the town as well.

"The Iraqi fighters are completely prepared for the land confrontation."

Other Iraqi fighters dodge back and forth across the parallel later in the day.