U.S. Military: attacks on troops rise since al-Qaeda in Iraq threat

BAGHDAD, Sept. 20 -- Attacks against U.S. troops have increased in the two weeks since al-Qaeda in Iraq's new leader urged insurgents to target American forces, a U.S. military spokesman said Wednesday.

Since the threat posted on the Internet on Sept. 7 by Abu Ayyub al-Masri, also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, at least 23 servicemen have been killed, mostly by suicide car bombers or roadside bombs, according to U.S. military news releases.

The latest casualty came Wednesday when a U.S. soldier was killed by gunfire in northeastern Baghdad, according to the military, which also reported the death of a soldier in a roadside explosion Tuesday northeast of Baghdad.

"Al-Qaeda in Iraq, insurgents and death squads have recently increased their attacks, with the primary area being focused in the Baghdad area," said Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell, the U.S. military's top spokesman in Iraq.

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