Iraq's rebels step up pre-election attacks

Insurgents staged attacks against US forces, schools to be used as polling stations and political party offices today, as they pressed a bloody campaign to undermine Iraq’s weekend elections.

In Baghdad’s Sadr City slum district, Iraqi forces backed by US troops raided a Shiite mosque, detaining up to 25 followers of a radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

A US helicopter crashed near the town of Rutbah while transporting marines. There was no immediate word on deaths or injuries.

Meanwhile, a US convoy was attacked on the dangerous road to Baghdad airport and at least one vehicle was destroyed. The US and British embassies have banned their staffs from travelling on the road because of repeated attacks . There was no word on casualties.

US troops found at least six bombs at different locations around Baghdad, the military said. Iraqi police discovered two more bombs in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, where turnout in the Sunday national elections is expected to be high.

“We’ve been very successful finding and destroying improvised explosive devices in Baghdad, limiting the insurgent’s ability to kill or injure innocent Iraqis,” said Major Philip Smith, a spokesman for the 1st Cavalry Division and Task Force Baghdad.

Residents of the insurgent-filled city of Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad, reported clashes there between US troops and rebels. The fighting erupted when militants attacked a US patrol with rocket-propelled grenades. One Iraqi was killed and two were wounded, doctors said.

Insurgents also attacked buildings linked to Sunday’s national elections. The rebels have threatened attacks against polling centres, candidates and voters in an attempt to derail the vote.

Two schools slated to be used as polling stations were bombed overnight, and a bomb was found in a third school but defused.

In other election-related attacks, gunmen opened fire on the local headquarters of the Communist Party and a major Kurdish party north of Baghdad.