¡¡¡¡CAIRO, March 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Some 103 American soldiers were killed Sunday in a battle between US-British forces and Iraqi troops near Nasiriya in southern Iraq, Al-Arabia Satellite Channel said.

¡¡¡¡The Dubai-based TV channel quoted Iranian sources as saying that the United States would be making a big mistake if they continue their campaign in such a manner.

¡¡¡¡The sources anticipated the Americans would attempt to launch an attack from another direction.

¡¡¡¡Deputy commander of US Gulf forces John Abizaid said at a Doha press conference that the coalition forces Sunday met with "toughest" resistance in the four-day campaign as 12 soldiers were listed missing in a battle with Iraq in Nasiriya, 375 km southeast of Baghdad.

¡¡¡¡He said some of the missing may have been those who appeared on the Arabic-language television network Al-Jazeera.

¡¡¡¡Abizaid said US Marines defeated an Iraqi attack Sunday "but sustained a number of killed and wounded in the sharpest engagement of the war thus far."

¡¡¡¡The Iraqi military said earlier on Sunday that 25 US and British soldiers were killed and dozens captured in fighting near Nasiriya.Enditem