An attack by mortars on an American base in Hella

Gunmen killed on Thursday one Iraqi police officer and two of his guards, to the west of Baghdad.

Sources in the police said the gunmen were wearing a police uniform when the car of the police officer Ahmad Issa, the director of al-Saleheyah area, close to the Green Zone was stopped at a false check point in al-Sedeyah area to the south west of Baghdad.

In another incident, the German news agency said that one American soldier was killed and another was injured in Baghdad as a result of a bomb explosion placed on the road. CNN also quoted sources in the American army as confirming the incident taking place. No details were given.

The agency said that the headquarters of the American forces to the north of Hella ( 100 Km to the south of Baghdad) was exposed to bombardment by mortars on Thursday at dawn while columns of smoke were seen coming out of the place. The American forces clocked the roads leading to the base.

The agency added that some of the shelling which targeted the American base took place against two houses near the base and this resulted in killing one woman and injuring other three.