US soldier dies in mine blast

Guerrillas mounted fresh attacks on occupation forces, firing mortars in the heart of the Iraqi capital and killing an American soldier near Tikrit, the US military said.

No casualties or damage were reported when at least three mortars exploded in central Baghdad.

One hit a US Army camp of the 2nd Armoured Cavalry Regiment.

The American soldier who died near Tikrit was killed last night when his vehicle hit a land mine, US officials said. Another soldier was wounded. The death brought the US death toll in the first three days of November to 22, most in the weekend crash of a transport helicopter shot down west of Baghdad.

Elsewhere, a police station in the northern city of Mosul was struck overnight by a rocket-propelled grenade. There were no casualties.

US troops raided the village of Karasia near Tikrit last night, seizing two suspects, Kalashnikov rifles, 14 mortar rounds, a mortar tube, and rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, the military said.