8 Marines Killed Near Falluja

In a statement, US officials said the deaths occurred in the western Anbar province on Saturday.

The rebel-held city of Falluja is being threatened with a major military strike by US and Iraqi forces.

The interim Iraqi government is continuing peace talks with Falluja representatives this weekend.

The BBC's Claire Marshall says the soldiers were reported killed while carrying out what US military officials called increased security operations in the province.

No details were given of how the soldiers, assigned to the first marine expeditionary force, were killed or wounded.

Over the past day, American forces have been carrying out a heavy bombardment of the city, in preparation for a planned full-scale attack.

Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said the talks with represented the final chance for the city to avoid such an assault.

He has demanded that foreign militants be expelled from Falluja and Iraqi forces, backed by American troops, be allowed into its centre.

But, says Claire Marshall, the talks are apparently making little progress and a spokesman for a Sunni clerical association in Falluja said that there is no good news on the horizon to finding a solution.

Gearing up

Iraqi and US forces are readying themselves to attack the city.

Air strikes on Falluja are continuing, targeting buildings believed to be used by followers of Jordanian rebel, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Associated Press reports, quoting a US official.

The discussions, believed to have started on Wednesday, are being held by a government-backed delegation and leaders from the rebel-held Sunni city, says the BBC's Clare Marshall in Baghdad.

In mid-October, Mr Allawi demanded that the city hand over Zarqawi, who heads the newly renamed al-Qaeda Organisation for Holy War In Iraq, or face invasion.

Falluja leaders have repeatedly said that they have no idea of his whereabouts.

Many of the most high-profile attacks across Iraq, both suicide bombings or kidnappings, have been claimed by Zarqawi's group.

Safe haven

US Commander Denis Hejlik says his forces are poised to attack.

"We are gearing up to do an operation," he told reporters.

"When we are told to go, we will go. When we do go we'll whack them."

The US military has stepped up attacks on Falluja in recent weeks, saying the Sunni-dominated city has become a safe haven for rebels linked to Zarqawi.

News agencies report that US officials estimate there are up to 2,000 fighters holed up in the city.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3967803.stm