Coalition forces vow to resist hostile acts

AN American soldier died of wounds suffered in an attack in Baghdad as Iraqis, angered by a deadly blast near a mosque west of the capital, yesterday vowed to wage holy war against US occupying forces.

US officials said their soldiers were in Iraq for the long haul, despite a sharp rise in attacks against the US-led force that ousted Saddam Hussein in April.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw made a lightning visit to Iraq as the bodies of six British soldiers killed a week ago in clashes over arms searches were flown home.

A US soldier hurt in an attack on his convoy a day earlier died of his wounds, bringing to at least 23 the number of American servicemen killed by hostile fire since major combat operations were declared over for the US forces and their British allies on May 1.

Two other American soldiers were found dead in uncertain circumstances last month.

US officials have blamed a spate of attacks on highly trained members of Iraq's former army and intelligence services loyal to Saddam.

Straw, on a regional tour, visited Basra in southern Iraq to meet top British military commanders and was due in Baghdad later in the day for talks with senior US-led administration officials.

In the town of Fallujah west of Baghdad, US soldiers took to the streets hoping to convince residents they were not behind Monday night's mosque blast, but were met by vows to drive them out of town.

"We will fight a holy war until the last drop of blood. Even boys who are 10 years old will fight until their last drop of blood," said a man standing at the damaged al-Hassan mosque.

Residents said the blast killed nine people, including the mosque's imam, or prayer leader.

They blamed it on an American air strike an accusation US military officials flatly denied.

Two rocket-propelled grenades were fired at US military vehicles in the town on Tuesday night. The US military in Falluja said nobody was hurt.

Despite growing scepticism at home, US President George W Bush insisted Washington would not let its 150,000 troops be chased from Iraq.

"The rise of Iraq, as an example of moderation and democracy and prosperity, is a massive and long-term undertaking," Mr Bush said.

"We will stay on the offensive against the enemy, and all who attack our troops will be met with direct and decisive force."

The bodies of the six Royal Military Policemen were returned to Britain following an emotional repatriation ceremony at RAF Brize Norton.

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and military top brass looked on as tearful relatives saw coffins carried, one by one, from an RAF transporter.

The moving ceremony came as Mr Straw vowed that Britain forces were "not going to forget" their promise to find the men's killers.

The men were gunned down at a civilian police station near Basra, on June 24.