"These are the orders," said US Marine Lieutenant Joe Cotterino who was manning a checkpoint at an expressway east of Fallujah, located 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Baghdad.

He said that between 50 and 60 families were allowed to enter the city Friday, but on Saturday only Iraqi police and troops of the para-military Iraqi Civil Defense Corps were being allowed to do so.

Cotterino gave no explanation for the ban despite a relative calm in the city which has been under a marine siege since April 5. Sporadic firing has been heard over the past 24 hours.

Few people were present at the checkpoint Saturday as many families decided to leave after being informed of the marines' decision.

Since a deal consolidating an uneasy truce between the marines and insurgents opposed to the US-led occupation of Iraq was announced Monday, the marines had authorized 50 families to return to the city every day, but the return was suspended several times.

At least 50 families returned Tuesday but only about seven on Wednesday.

WAR.WIRE