Baghdad: With the Democrats in the US Congress sharpening their attacks on President George W Bush's administration, thousands of US soldiers faced an indefinite stay in Iraq, amid fears of increased attacks.

The United States on July 15 dropped all remaining restrictions on travel by Americans to Iraq, while the country's newly formed governing council prepared a war crimes tribunal for members of the ousted Baath party regime.

In Washington, the Pentagon put off until late 2003 the return of nearly 16,000 troops of the Third Infantry Division from Iraq as US officials continued to search for countries to share the peacekeeping burden a day after India refused to send troops.

"The redeployment is being worked out according to a lot of factors, through the Army, looking at other capabilities, international support," Pentagon spokesman Larry Di Rita said.

Di Rita said the delay was not the result of India's refusal to participate in peacekeeping operations.

India opposed the US-British invasion, and refused Washington's request to send a division of about 17,000 troops to participate in an Iraq peacekeeping force.

More than 80 US troops have been killed since May 1, when Bush declared a virtual end to hostilities, including 32 in combat.

In a sign of the ongoing danger, US troops in Ramadi, around 100 km west of Baghdad, came under rocket-propelled grenade attack late on July 15, residents said.

Agencies