U.S. soldiers ambushed in Fallujah
One attacker killed, no U.S. casualties
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A U.S. soldier stands guard at a market in Fallujah recently.
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SPECIAL REPORT
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. soldiers killed one gunman during an ambush near a mosque in Fallujah late Saturday, U.S. Central Command said. No Americans were injured.
The gunmen fired automatic weapons on troops from U.S. Army Task Force 3/15 (3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry of the 3rd Infantry Division) about 11:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. EDT), according to a Central Command statement. One attacker fled the scene.
The soldiers were patrolling the northern edge of town, which is 43 miles (70 kilometers) west of Baghdad, Central Command said.
Pockets of resistance in the area between Fallujah and Ar Ramadi appear to be locally coordinated, the statement said.
"Coalition forces continue to conduct active patrols to locate these pockets and destroy or capture the remnants of the former regime," according to the statement.
U.S. military officials said last week about 4,000 troops from the 3rd Infantry Division would be redeployed from Baghdad to Fallujah after a string of attacks on U.S. troops there.
Clashes between Iraqi civilians and U.S. troops resulted in the deaths of 17 Iraqis during three days of violence April 30 through May 2. Seven U.S. soldiers were wounded.
On May 21, at least two Iraqis were killed in Fallujah after gunmen opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles on a U.S. patrol in the city center.
On May 27, two U.S. soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in an attack on their unit.
On Thursday, a U.S. soldier was killed and five soldiers were wounded in Fallujah when an unknown assailant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division.
