Mystery of woman's body in Fallujah

Officials were today still trying to identify the body of a western woman found in Fallujah as US marines continued attacking insurgents in the city.

Fresh air strikes and artillery bombardment were pounding southern districts as the Americans fought to mop up the last of the rebel strongholds.

At the same time fighting has spread through Sunni Muslim areas of Iraq, with explosions and fierce gun battles in Baghdad, Mosul and Kirkuk last night.

The discovery of the woman's body, wrapped in a blood-soaked blanket, has renewed fears over the fate of British aid worker Margaret Hassan, kidnapped in Baghdad a month ago.

She is one of two women hostages being held. The other is Polish-born Iraq resident Teresa Borcz Khalifa, 54, also seized last month.

A row is growing over the refusal of the Americans to allow a convoy of ambulances and aid into Fallujah to help the stricken civilian population.

It is not yet known how many have been killed in a week of heavy fighting but there have been several reports of bodies littering the streets and wounded people unable to get to hospital.

There has also been fighting between US troops and militants in the northern town of Beiji, killing at least six people and wounding 20 others.