"A Task Force 1st Armoured Division Soldier and an Iraqi interpreter were killed and three other soldiers were wounded during an IED (improvised explosive device) attack March 21," a statement said.

"The incident is under investigation." Added to an official Pentagon tally, the latest death raises to 281 the number of US soldiers killed in action since US President George W. Bush declared major hostilities in Iraq over on May 1.

Another six soldiers were lightly wounded in attacks from a rocket-propelled grenade, small arms fire and homemade bomb, while sweeping for insurgents and weapons in Baghdad, the army said, adding that they had returned to duty.

IRAQI JUDGE BLOWN UP IN HIS CAR

An Iraqi judge was killed when his car blew up over the weekend in the city of Hilla, 100 kilometres (miles) south of Baghdad, a spokesperson from the regional Babylon court said yesterday.

"On Saturday at 6:30 pm (1530 GMT) the judge, Abdel Amir al-Rubaie was killed when his car blew up after he started the ignition," said the spokesman, Khaled al-Feyhan.