Bomb attacks in the restive Iraqi town

About 30 Iraqis died in car bomb attacks on Saturday and at least 20 US soldiers were wounded during the action in Ramadi, the restive Iraqi town north of &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/war/2003/03/26/45038.html ' target=_blank>Baghdad.

The servicemen were injured while conducting "increased security operations" and all the 20 were assigned to the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, said the spokesman, revising an earlier tally of 14 wounded.

The spokesman did not disclose any further details about the incident, which appeared to be one of the fiercest attacks against &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/main/2003/01/05/41651.html ' target=_blank>US forces in the area, reports Xinhua News.

According to the Turkish Press, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has told insurgents in Fallujah that time is running out for them as thousands of US and Iraqi troops prepare for action.

Out-gunned but determined to fight on, rebels unleashed a double car bomb attack outside a local government building in Samarra, police and medics said.

That was followed by another in front of a teachers' college in the city, while a fourth then exploded in the south of Samarra, with the final blast killing 10.

Gunmen also attacked three police stations and clashed with US and &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/war/2003/04/01/45357.html ' target=_blank>Iraqi troops in the city, 125 kilometres (80 miles) north of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said.

"We have received 33 killed and 48 wounded," said Doctor Nawfal Mohammed at Samarra's general hospital.

The dead, a mix of Iraqi police, soldiers and civilians, included Brigadier General Abdul Razak Mohammed al-Jarmani, a local police chief.

Desperate to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, a delegation of four members of the interim parliament had been talking to leaders from Fallujah, but hopes are fading fast as communication dries up.

"Things are getting worse," said one member of the team from the National Council.