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More Al Jezeera reports -

The occupation besieged Falluja, 65km west of Baghdad, nine days ago in an effort to crush the resistance in the city of 300,000. Troops had completely sealed the city, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

Since then, the toll among Iraqis in Falluja has topped 700 and another 1200 have been injured, according to medical and US military personnel.

The occupation on Tuesday pushed several tanks through the only open gateway used as an exit for Iraqi families in an apparent violation of the latest ceasefire in Falluja.

"The invading forces were met with fierce resistance by the Fallouja defenders which forced the US tanks into a quick withdrawal," correspondent Abd al-Azim Muhammad reported.

The US fighter planes dropped stun bombs? to cover their troops withdrawal, he added.

Also on Tuesday, a US MH-53 helicopter crashed southeast of Falluja and marines who rushed to secure the crash site came under attack and sustained casualties.