▁to ▁have ▁fled ▁the ▁city ▁before ▁the ▁invasion . ▁U . S .- back ed ▁figures ▁put ▁ins ur gency ▁losses ▁at ▁over ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁blood iest ▁single ▁battle ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁in ▁the ▁war , ▁with ▁ 9 2 ▁Americans ▁dead ▁and ▁several ▁hundred ▁wounded . ▁A ▁video ▁showing ▁the ▁killing ▁of ▁at ▁least ▁one ▁un ar med ▁and ▁wounded ▁man ▁by ▁an ▁American ▁serv ic eman ▁sur fac ed , ▁throwing ▁renew ed ▁doubt ▁and ▁out rage ▁at ▁the ▁efficiency ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁occupation . ▁The ▁Marine ▁was ▁later ▁cleared ▁of ▁any ▁wrong do ing ▁because ▁the ▁Mar ines ▁had ▁been ▁war ned ▁that ▁the ▁enemy ▁would ▁sometimes ▁fe ign ▁death ▁and ▁bo oby - t rap ▁bodies ▁as ▁a ▁t actic ▁to ▁l ure ▁Mar ines ▁to ▁their ▁death s . ▁November ▁was ▁the ▁dead liest ▁month ▁of ▁the ▁occupation ▁for ▁coal ition ▁troops , ▁sur pass ing ▁April . ▁ ▁Another ▁off ensive ▁was ▁launched ▁by ▁ins urg ents ▁during ▁the ▁month ▁of ▁November ▁in ▁Mos ul . ▁U . S . ▁forces ▁back ed ▁by ▁pes h mer ga ▁f igh ters ▁launched ▁a ▁counter off ensive ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mos ul ▁( 2 0 0 4 ). ▁The ▁fighting ▁in ▁Mos ul ▁occurred ▁concurrent ly ▁with ▁the ▁fighting ▁in ▁Fall uj ah ▁and ▁attributed ▁to ▁the ▁high ▁number ▁of ▁American ▁cas ual ties ▁taken ▁that ▁month . ▁ ▁In ▁December