Official: At least 2,000 killed in Fallujah offensive

An Iraqi official announced on Thursday that at least 2,000 people were killed and 1,600 detained so far in the U.S.-led Fallujah offensive.

Qassem Dawoud, the interim government’s national security adviser, didn’t provide any breakdown of fatalities among U.S. soldiers, Iraqi troops, fighters and civilians.

As of Thursday, the death toll was "more than 2,085", Dawoud said, adding that at least 1,600 people have been arrested.

U.S. officials in Iraq had previously said that 54 U.S. Marines were killed during the Fallujah assault, which started earlier this month.

Dawoud also said on Thursday that a chemical bomb factory was found in Fallujah.

Iraqi soldiers discovered a "chemical materials laboratory that was used to make explosives and toxic substances," Dawoud said.

He added that they also found pamphlets that show how to make explosives and toxic substances, including anthrax.

Seperately, the U.S. army said that 116 suspects were arrested since Operation Plymouth Rock started in the so-called "triangle of death" southwest of Baghdad.

http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/news_service/middle_east_full_story.asp?service_ID=5635