U.S. goes 2 days without combat deaths in Iraq

[Nambe]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP)

For a second straight day, the U.S. military reported no fatal attacks Sunday on American soldiers in Iraq. In a series of raids, troops detained two dozen people they said were participating in the violent resistance to the U.S. occupation, including a "targeted leader." ---

An Iraqi contract worker for the U.N. Development Program suffered minor injuries when his car hit a land mine on the road from Baghdad International Airport to the city center.

The explosion, which set the car ablaze, came shortly after the driver passed a convoy of three U.S. Humvees traveling the same road, which has been the scene of many recent attacks on American soldiers.

The American occupation authority also reported settling 1,168 claims totaling $262,263 brought by Iraqis for deaths, injuries or property damage by American forces.

Representatives of the U.S. Judge Advocate General's office in the Iraqi capital said it had received more than 2,500 claims for compensation and had dealt with nearly 1,500, rejecting about 20 percent as having no foundation. ---