One U.S. soldier killed, five wounded in Iraq attack

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - One U.S. soldier was killed and five others were wounded by small arms fire southeast of Baghdad on Monday, the U.S. military said, quoting initial reports.

Iraqi security officials in Baghdad said a local official in the town of Madaen, 30 km (20 miles) southeast of Baghdad, had shot at U.S. soldiers who had gone to visit him. An Iraqi soldier at the scene confirmed this account to Reuters.

A U.S. military spokesman, Lieutenant David Russell, said the incident took place in the Madaen area.

"Initial reports are now indicating one coalition forces soldier killed in action, five coalition forces soldiers wounded in action and one enemy killed in action," Russell said.

Further details were not immediately available.

Reuters television pictures showed a number of spent bullet casings on the ground in a local government compound where the Iraqi soldier said the attack took place.

(Reporting by Tim Cocks, Editing by Dean Yates)