An American civilian contractor was killed Tuesday in northern Iraq after a roadside bomb was detonated to destroy the truck he was driving, a US military spokesman said.

"Around 1:00 p.m. (0900 GMT) an American civilian contractor was killed when his vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device," said Sergeant Amy Abbott.

The blast occurred north of Tikrit, a city 160 km to the north of Baghdad, US army men confirmed.

The victim was probably the first American civilian killed in Iraq after the US government declared the end of major combat on May 1.

At least 53 US soldiers have been confirmed dead in anti-American attacks since then. US officials blamed the persistent hostilities on remnants from the ousted Iraq regime and foreign terrorists.

But Iraqis said local people irritated by the occupying forces' excessive actions in hunting former leader Saddam Hussein and his associates are behind many deadly attacks.

Reports said a mine planted on a bridge in Fallujah, 50 km (30miles) west of Baghdad, exploded Tuesday, damaging one of four passing US military vehicles.

Also in Fallujah, a city stands inside the so-called "Sunni Triangle", two US soldiers were reportedly wounded when a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at a police station.

The US military said it had no immediate information on the incident.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2003)