Washington: A US Marine became the first allied casualty of the war on Iraq, as US forces pushed through the Iraqi desert and heavy bombers took off from Britain to press the air campaign.

The soldier was from the US 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, a UK spokesman in Kuwait, said. Military officials said the Marine died in the advance on the Rumeila oil field.

US Central Command gave no other details.

US President George Bush was informed of the death and he expressed his regrets.

Hours earlier, eight British and four American soldiers died in a US Marine helicopter crash that a UK spokesman said was an accident.

Agencies