American killed, governing council forms committee to deal with election issue

One American soldier was killed near al-Habaneyah, town to the west of Baghdad, after a military vehicle was exposed to an attack launched by resistance fighters yesterday morning. In a statement, the occupation forces said the soldier died because of grave wounds he suffered.

The statement explained that three Iraqis were detained during clashes and are being interrogated. Al-Habaneyah town is considered a center for resistance against the American occupation forces.

The killing of this American soldier comes less than 24 hours from the announcement of the occupation forces that it had killed 54 gunmen who were trying to attack military vehicles in Sameraa to the north of Baghdad.

Meantime, the commander of the American occupation forces in Sameraa threatened strong retaliation to the resistance attacks, following the bloody clashes that took place in the city on Sunday, despite calls, made by members of the tribal council in the city, for the occupation forces to withdraw immediately from the residential area in the city after the clashes.