IN a daring strike, anti-American forces unleashed a barrage of rockets yesterday against the Al Rasheed Hotel, a symbol of the US presence, where visiting Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz was staying.

TWO US soldiers were killed and one was wounded in an ambush north of Baghdad while insurgents attacked a convoy setting off huge explosions in several vehicles.

Two US soldiers were killed and one was wounded in an ambush in Kirkuk today.

Two American soldiers have been killed and one wounded in an ambush outside the Iraqi city of Kirkuk.

An American soldier was killed and another was wounded today when their convoy hit a roadside bomb in northern Iraq, the US military said.

American forces in Iraq continue to close in on Saddam Hussein, conducted several top secret operations since killing his sons Uday and Qusay two weeks ago, the US military said today.

US troops blew up a 30ft statue of Saddam Hussein on horseback today, a day after a new tape apparently from the former Iraqi dictator urged his followers to continue a “holy war” against the Allies.

A truck carrying 999 bars of what may be gold has been impounded by US paratroopers in eastern Iraq.