US soldiers killed in bomb blast amid warnings attacks will increase

TWO American soldiers died in a bomb blast north of Baghdad yesterday amid warnings that attacks will increase with fewer than 100 days left before the coalition hands over sovereignty.

A day earlier, insurgents attacked an American patrol, sparking a gun battle that killed one US soldier and three rebels.

The infantryman died and two were wounded yesterday when a bomb exploded near Baqouba, the military said. The soldiers went to the area after Iraqi security notified them that a bomb had been found. The two injured soldiers were in stable condition.

In Fallujah, west of Baghdad, insurgents attacked a US military convoy, leaving a Humvee in flames. One Iraqi driver in a civilian car was killed in the crossfire.

The fighting that killed one soldier occurred on Wednesday near Taji, just north of the capital, said Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, the military’s deputy director of operations. An Iraqi Defence Ministry that will report directly to Paul Bremer, the coalition’s administrator, has been formed.

It will be led by a minister to be announced within a week, a US official said.

The formation of the ministry came nearly 10 months after the coalition dissolved Saddam’s entire security and defence apparatus. The ministry will include a counter-terrorism unit.

The attacks brought to 399 the number of US troops killed in action in Iraq since the start of the war just over one year ago.