Five US soldiers killed in mortar blitz

INSURGENTS bombarded a headquarters used by American troops and Iraqi forces with mortar rounds in the city of Samarra yesterday, destroying the building and killing five US soldiers and one Iraqi guardsman.

The attack, part of a day of violence and street battles in the city, wounded 20 US soldiers and four Iraqi guardsmen, said Major Neal O'Brien, spokesman for the 1st Infantry Division.

The violence also killed three civilians, medical officials said, and US helicopters killed four Iraqi attackers, said O'Brien.