Baghdad: A US soldier was killed following detonation of explosives under a military convoy west of Baghdad on July 18 by insurgents targeting the US occupation of Iraq.

The attack on the convoy came when a bomb was detonated by remote control at a traffic circle near the main bridge over the Euphrates River in Fallujah, a city west of Baghdad, according to Sgt. Amy Abbott, a military spokeswoman. She said a soldier from the 3rd Infantry Division died. US military engineers discovered another bomb in Baghdad but defused it.

Meanwhile, a prominent Shiite Muslim cleric called on Iraqis to oppose their new US-appointed government and vowed to establish a rival council "of the righteous."

However, the Americans, celebrated victory by blowing up a towering statue of Saddam Hussein in the deposed dictator's hometown and seizing its head as a war trophy.

A US intelligence official said that a new audio recording purportedly of Saddam is probably authentic and likely was recorded recently -a finding that was further evidence Saddam survived the war. However, the official spoke only on condition of anonymity.

Agencies