Fierce fighting between US troopsand Iraqi Sunni Muslims in Fallujah, sparked by the killing and mutilation of four Americans on March 31, have entered its seventhday Monday, and there were no signs of a quick end to the violence.

The fighting has left more than 600 Iraqis and dozens of 60 US soldiers killed and over a third of the 200,000 residents have fled the city, west of Baghdad.

The two fighting sides agreed on a cease-fire on Friday. A representative of the Iraqi Governing Council said the cease-fire would be extended until 10 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Monday.

However, sporadic battles frequently broke the truce, with mostserious wounding two Marines.

Violence also spilled out of Fallujah Sunday, with a US Apache helicopter shot down west of Baghdad and the two crew members killed.

Meanwhile, foreigners also fell victim to the violence, with over 60 foreigners, including Americans, Italians, Japanese and Britons, kidnapped over the past week.

The list of foreigners abducted in Iraq grew Monday. A Chinese diplomat in Iraq said seven Chinese were kidnapped by armed men incentral Iraq Sunday.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassyin Baghdad have been instructed to begin rescue work with utmost efforts for an early release of the seven hostages,

On Sunday, a British contractor and eight others held by Iraqi kidnappers were freed, but the fate of three Japanese, whom the kidnappers said would let go by noon Monday, and an American captive remained unclear.

An Iraqi resistance group had threatened to kill one of the three Japanese within 24 hours if Japan does not withdraw its troops from Iraq.

As US President George W. Bush admitted on Sunday, the past week had been tough for the United States.

"It was a tough week last week, and my prayers and thoughts arewith those who paid the ultimate price for our security," Bush said on a visit to a major US military base in Texas.

But he vowed to defeat the insurgents in Iraq and hand over sovereignty to the country on June 30 as planned.

However, the US-backed Iraqi authorities have blamed the US military for using excessive force and Bush's administration for underestimating the depth of Iraqis' suspicion of the American intentions.

The Iraqi Governing Council complained in a weekend statement of being sidelined by the Americans on security issues and callingfor a stop to the military's "collective punishment."

Moreover, a battalion of the new Iraqi army refused to go to Fallujah earlier this week to support US forces fighting for control of the city.

The Iraqi soldiers had told the American military they had not signed up to fight fellow Iraqis, reported the Washington Post.

It was the first time US commanders had tried to involve the new Iraqi army in major combat and the battalion's refusal to fight "is casting new doubt on US plans to transfer security matters to Iraqi forces," the Post said.

In addition, there were no signs of a quick end to the violencedespite the fragile truce. Hundreds of US Marine reinforcements have moved in around Fallujah, joining the 1,200 Marines and 900 Iraqis already there.

The US military has also warned it may resume an all-out offensive if negotiations on extending the cease-fire and restoring police control of the city fell through.

Source: Xinhua