A huge blast leveled part of a building in the northern Waziriya district of Baghdad as U.S. soldiers searched it for suspected production of "chemical munitions," an American general said. Two soldiers were killed and five injured. Following this, cheering Iraqis looted their wrecked Humvees, taking away weapons and equipment.
An Abrams tank and a Bradley armoured vehicle were also at the scene as fire trucks rushed to the area, where several chemical plants are located.
Heavy black smoke could be seen rising from the area as a US helicopter hovered overhead.
In Fallujah, meanwhile, heavy fighting broke out despite attempts to extend a cease-fire. Reuters said one U.S. soldier and eight Iraqi fighters killed in the fighting.
Elsewhere, US soldiers rolled into a base in the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Monday to replace withdrawing Spanish troops and put pressure on an anti-American Shiite "militia" in control of parts of the city.
American troops have vowed to stay far from the city's holy sites to avoid outraging Iraq's majority Shiite Muslims.
However, the move deploys US troops within the Najaf urban area for the first time since they first moved against the Al-Mahdi Army "militia" of Muqtada al-Sadr.
Some 200 soldiers and Military Police rolled into the base Monday morning. The base is located an estimated three miles from Shiite shrines at the heart of Najaf.
Spanish troops are getting ready to leave, and US troops moved in to prevent the site from falling into the hands of the Iraqi fighters.
Overnight, al-Sadr's forces shelled the base with 21 mortars, injuring at least one Salvadoran soldier, said Col. Paul White, commander of the U.S. 2nd Battalion, 37th Armored Regiment, which moved into the city.
Also Monday, a British soldier was injured in a roadside bomb blast targeting a convoy in Basra, an occupation spokesman said.
The soldier was part of a six-vehicle supply convoy that was targeted in the southeast of the British-controlled city.
"There has been an explosion at about 0745 (0345 GMT) this morning on a six-vehicle convoy resulting in one coalition force injury," said Squadron Leader Jon Arnold, a British military spokesman in Basra. "The injuries are not life-threatening."
Witnesses and police in Basra said the injured soldier was evacuated by helicopter. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
