US soldiers killed in Iraq

US soldiers detaining an Iraqi in Fallujah

An undetermined number of Iraqis pulled up to the checkpoint late on Sunday, saying a sick person in the car needed help before opening fire, Centcom said.

 

The soldiers returned fire, killing one Iraqi and detaining a second.  

 

At least one other Iraqi fled the scene, prompting an overnight search by US occupation forces in the town of al-Qaim.

 

In another incident, US troops detained two Iraqis after coming under fire in the central Iraqi town of Fallujah, Centcom said.

 

However, eyewitnesses told Aljazeera that one US soldier was killed when a US artillery came under fire on Sunday night in Fallujah.

 

It was not clear if they were talking about the same military operation in the town.

 

Centcom did not mention the killing of a gun shop owner reported by residents.

 

The death of the US soldier near the border with Syria brought the number of American soldiers who have died in fighting or accidents in Iraq since 1 May to 29, according to AFP.

 

If the occupation forces confirm the death of the US soldier in Fallujah, the toll would be 30.

 

Another 137 American soldiers were killed in Iraq between the start of the US-led war on 20 March and 1 May.

 

Protest for employment

 

No to foreign workers at the expense of our workers

In Basra, about 500 Iraqis demonstrated on Monday to protest against the employment of Asian oil workers by the US oil company Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR).

 

“No to foreign workers at the expense of our workers”, read a banner held by protesters outside the headquarters of the British coalition forces in the southern Iraqi city.

 

“It’s our country and it’s up to us to rebuild it”, they chanted.

Protesters issued a statement calling on the occupying forces to create jobs for Iraqis.

 

A huge number of Iraqis found themselves without jobs, following the collapse of public services and the disbanding of the army and security forces when the Iraqi regime was ousted in April.

 

Meanwhile, the acting head of Iraq’s oil ministry, Thamir Ghadhban, said on Monday oil exports would resume in the third week of June.

 

“We are processing contracts now with various interested parties and we hope that during the third week of this month the first shipment will be made available to the international market,” he said.