IRAQ: A British soldier was killed and two were wounded when a roadside bomb hit a military ambulance in the southern city of Basra yesterday.
"A British military ambulance was targeted by an improvised explosive device in the outskirts of Basra's city centre this morning," A British military spokesman said.
"One serviceman was killed and two suffered non-life threatening wounds." It was the first British fatality in a hostile incident since June 25th when six soldiers were killed in the southern village of Majjar.
The spokesman said the roadside bomb was hidden in a pile of earth next to a lamp post. He said the ambulance, which was clearly marked, supported British soldiers and Iraqi civilians. He said it was too early to speculate on who was behind the attack.
Yesterday's death raised to 15 the number of British soldiers killed in attacks since US and British forces invaded Iraq on March 20th.
Meanwhile, the US army said yesterday it had apologised for provoking furious protests in a Baghdad slum neighbourhood, but Shia residents vowed more violence unless American troops withdrew from the district.
Lieut Gen Ricardo Sanchez, the senior commander in Iraq, said American troops had shot dead one Iraqi and wounded four after coming under attack on Wednesday when thousands of Shias took to the streets of Sadr City in north-east Baghdad.
The protest was sparked when a US helicopter flew close to the flag of a religious school hung from a communications tower.
Locals said the helicopter crew tore the banner down, but the military said the banner was blown off by accident.
In the angry scenes that followed, Gen Sanchez said, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) was fired at US troops.
"The demonstration was about 3,000 people when we sent the unit to investigate," Gen Sanchez told a news conference.
"The unit came under fire by small arms and actually an RPG was fired also from the crowd. Our unit returned fire and it wound up killing the RPG gunner and they wounded four others."
In a letter distributed to locals, Lieut Col Christopher Hoffman apologised and promised an investigation.
"We deeply regret what has happened today. What occurred was a mistake and was not directed against the people of Sadr City," the letter said. "I am personally investigating this incident and will punish those responsible. We offer to treat the four wounded citizens at Coalition medical facilities."
But residents vowed more protests, and a local sheikh said American troops would face violence unless they withdrew.
"The apology is not enough," Qais Hadi Khazali said.
"If the soldiers care first of all about their own welfare, and secondly about the welfare of Iraq, they must leave Sadr City."
The UN Security Council voted 14-0 yesterday to adopt a resolution welcoming creation of Baghdad's new Governing Council, with Syria choosing to abstain.