An explosion struck a US contractor’s company car in southern Iraq today, killing a civilian and wounding two others in the vehicle, an Italian military spokesman in Iraq said.

SUNNI-LED insurgents killed 11 Iraqi security forces and wounded 14 in two separate attacks yesterday, as Shiites began celebrating a major Muslim holiday. Al-Qaida in Iraq threatened more attacks on diplomats here.

Sunni-led insurgents firing mortars and guns attacked an Iraqi police checkpoint in northern Iraq today, killing six policemen and wounding 10, an official said.

US and British warplanes bombed Iraqi military command and communication targets near Talil in the south of the country today.

The Iraqi parliament was convening in an emergency session today, called by President Saddam Hussein to consider a response to a UN resolution and a day after Arab ministers urged Baghdad to cooperate with weapons inspectors.