Three Iraqi children were killed when a US tank opened fire in the western city of Fallujah, the US military reported Saturday. "Civilians in the area reported two children, ages seven and nine, were killed by a blast in the area by the canal," said the statement. "A third, age 11, was transported by civilians to the Jordanian hospital nearby but later succumbed to his wounds."
Elsewhere, gunmen destroyed a major bridge that linkss the Iraqi capital with the northern cities of Kirkuk and Arbil early on Saturday, police said. They said the attackers used explosives to destroy the Sarha Bridge, near the town of Tuz Khurmato on the Chinchal river, some 150 km north of Baghdad. The blast severely damaged the bridge.
Meanwhile, American losses in May amounted to at least 123, making it the deadliest month for the U.S. forces since November 2004. It was also the third-deadliest month of the occupation. In April, 102 U.S. service members were killed in action, making April and May the deadliest two-month period for the American military since the March 2003 invasion.
The highest number of deaths in a single month was 137 service members killed in action in November 2004, when Marines fought in Fallujah. April 2004 was the second-deadliest month, with 135 U.S. soldiers killed.
