US commander appeals for international troops

THE top US commander in Iraq said yesterday that he needs more international forces to deal with an array of potential security threats, including al-Qaida terrorists, Iranian fighters and clashes between ethnic and religious militias.

With Washington pushing a new UN resolution aimed at persuading more nations to contribute troops, Russia gave its first signal that it could send peacekeepers to Iraq, and Britain said it was considering whether to increase its force levels.

In Tikrit, meanwhile, US troops battled guerrillas in the streets after a mortar attack. No US casualties were reported.