Four US soldiers die in Somali blast

MOGADISHU - Four American soldiers were killed yesterday when a land-mine destroyed their vehicle in south Mogadishu, a United Nations military officials said. It was the third ambush and second land-mine attack on UN forces since Wednesday. Intense small-arms fire followed the blast, but it was not clear whether the soldiers in a two-vehicle convoy were killed by gunfire or the mine.

The dead were not identified, but a UN spokesman said they belonged to the US Logistics Support Command, based at the main UN headquarters here. They were returning to their base when the lead vehicle, carrying the four soldiers, hit the mine. Three soldiers in the second vehicle fired at likely attack positions.

Three of the soldiers died at the attack site, in the populous suburb of Medina. The fourth died later at the main American field hospital after two hours of emergency surgery. No Somali attackers were reported killed or wounded.

The UN's special representative, Jonathan Howe, condemned the attack and said that followers of the fugitive warlord, Mohamed Farah Aideed, were responsible. 'We will take appropriate action to ensure we defend our people,' said Mr Howe, a retired US admiral.

Extra troops were put on patrol after the attack and small crowds gathered on street corners. UN patrols closed some south Mogadishu streets.

After suffering heavy casualties in the past, UN forces have launched heavy airborne missile and cannon attacks on suspected strongholds of Gen Aideed's gunmen.

The Americans were the first US troops killed since UN forces took over on 4 May from an American led- coalition that protected food aid to starving Somalis. Soldiers near the scene said yesterday's blast overturned and mangled the Humvee all- purpose vehicle, and may have been caused by anti-tank mine or a regular mine charged with extra explosives.

The American deaths brought to 39 the number of UN peace-keeping troops killed since fighting intensified on 5 June. About 165 peace-keepers, including 24 Americans, have been wounded.

American, Egyptian and Pakistani ground troops, backed by American attack helicopters, went to the aid of the convoy and sealed off the area soon after the early-morning blast.

Reporters heard intense gunfire after the explosion boomed over the UN compound a few hundred yards away.

In a now common gesture, Somalis later brought charred and bloody canvas webbing and military cloth to a hotel in south Mogadishu occupied by foreign reporters.

They also said they recovered strips of flesh from the blast site.

WASHINGTON - The US should act firmly to end deadly attacks on its troops in Somalia, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tom Foley, said yesterday hours after the four US soldiers were killed, Reuter reports.

Mr Foley said there should be increased efforts to find Gen Aideed 'and neutralise his forces. We shouldn't allow this cat-and-mouse game to go on in which Americans take casualties and Aideed escapes capture,' said Mr Foley, a Democrat from Washington state.