Two More U.S. Soldiers Killed In Iraq

"The soldiers were evacuated to the 47th Forward Support Battalion for treatment. One soldier was pronounced dead at 11:50 pm," it said, adding that the incident was under investigation, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Meanwhile, another U.S. soldier was killed after the vehicle he was traveling in collided with another when his convoy came under fire near ad-Diwaniyah, around 180 kilometers (113 miles) south of Baghdad, the U.S. army confirmed.

"One 3rd Corps Support Command soldier was killed and another injured in a two-vehicle accident while driving south on the main supply route southeast of the town of ad-Diwaniyah," Central Command said in a statement.

"The soldiers were driving in a supply convoy of Palletized Loading System (PLS) vehicles when they received small arms fire and struck another vehicle. Both soldiers are attached to the 3rd COSCOM operating out of Kuwait," it said.

"Security, medical and recovery assets were dispatched to the scene. One soldier died as a result of the accident. The other soldier was treated and returned to duty," the statement added.

Earlier Wednesday, a U.S. citizen working as an interpreter was killed and two U.S. soldiers were wounded in a small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenade attack in ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein’s hometown of Tikrit, some 175 kilometers (110 miles) north of Baghdad.

The new deaths brought to at least 63 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in resistance attacks in Iraq since Washington declared major combat over on May 1.

At least another 62 have died in non-combat incidents.

U.S. forces on Thursday arrested three Iraqis in the flashpoint town of Fallujah west of Baghdad, residents said.

Troops raided the home of Ahmad Dayeh al-Alwani at around 11:00 am (0700 GMT) and arrested him, they said.

U.S. forces also stormed Fallujah’s arms market, arresting two men they suspected of involvement in illegal arms dealings and seizing a number of light weapons, the witnesses said.

No More Troops

Rumsfeld on Wednesday said American commanders saw no need for additional troops in Iraq, despite the bombing of U.N. headquarters in Baghdad, which killed 20 people, including top U.N. envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello.

He said Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz spoke with the commanders in Iraq earlier in the day and they "reiterated their belief that the size of the force in Iraq is appropriate today."

"And at the moment, the conclusion of the responsible military officials is that the force levels are where they should be," Rumsfeld said at a press conference in the city of Teguciglpa, Honduras.

He said the U.S. emphasis should continue to be on building an Iraqi police force and army to provide security around the country rather than to rely on more U.S. troops.

"We need to provide security where it is possible to provide, but it is not possible on every street corner and every portion of a country the size of California," he said.

Rumsfeld’s statements came as a barrage of criticism was heaped on the U.S. troops in Iraq for stopping short of providing security for international missions in the anarchy-mired country.

Ahmad Chalabi, member of the U.S.-handpicked interim Governing Council, said they had received intelligence on August 14 that a truck bombing was imminent in the capital, adding they shared it with U.S. intelligence agents.

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan also chided the U.S.-led occupation power, holding it "responsible for law and order and the security of the country."