US soldier and Iraqi interpreter killed in bomb blast

A US soldier and an Iraqi interpreter were killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad overnight, and nine soldiers were wounded in various attacks in the Iraqi capital, the military said Monday.
"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 home-made bomb, while sweeping for insurgents and weapons in Baghdad, the army said, adding that they had returned to duty.
Seven suspects were arrested and several weapons and ammunition seized in the sweeps, the statement said.
Near the town of Samarra, 125 kilometres (75 miles) north of Baghdad, a US soldier was killed in a live-firing accident that took place before he was due to head out on patrol, a statement early Monday said.
The soldier died when his unit made a pre-patrol test fire before moving out on a mission. The accident is being investigated and the name of the soldier withheld until his family is notified.
CAR BOMB KILLS IRAQI:
BALAD: At least one Iraqi paramilitary was killed and eight civilians were wounded in a car bomb attack Monday at the entrance to a US base near Balad, 75 kilometres (45 miles) north of Baghdad, a member of the Iraqi Civil Defence Corps (ICDC) told AFP.
US soldiers sealed off the road to "Base Anaconda", which has a huge airstrip considered a critical US supply line to north Iraq, and confirmed the entrance to the base had been targeted by a car bomb and roadside explosives.
"A car bomb exploded outside the US air base in Balad at 7:00 am (0400 GMT), killing at least one ICDC member and wounding eight civilians," said ICDC member Said Kaddum, who was taking the victims to hospital in Baquba, just east of Balad.
The explosion occurred in a line of vehicles where each morning Iraqi contractors and construction workers enter the base, Kaddum said.
"We received eight injured and one dead. One is ICDC and the rest are civilians, two of them are seriously wounded," said Dr Mohammed Awad in Baquba, where some of the casualties were taken.