In deadly correlation, calculated attacks aimed at derailing Iraq's transition to democracy also gathered pace with the death of another US soldier, while an Iraqi interpreter for Time magazine lay critically wounded in hospital after being shot the previous day.

In addition, four Iraqis, including a two-year-old child, were killed in a US military operation on a village in central Iraq, witnesses said.

Insurgents were hunting "symbolic targets" such as Iraqi interpreters, police and civil defence forces seen as collaborating with the US-led coalition, a senior military official said.

"We would expect, as the country gets closer and closer to independence and sovereignty, these kind of attacks on soft targets will continue," said US Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt.

Much work remains to be done before the US-led transfer of power to an interim Iraqi government, admitted American overseer in Iraq Paul Bremer on Wednesday, as he laid out a series of goals to be achieved before his departure on June 30, including the creation this week of a new defence ministry.

"The minister of defence will (also) be named shortly," said senior coalition spokesman Dan Senor.

At the top of the list of priorities is agreeing on what body will take over sovereignty in three months, and also the creation of a system to hold direct parliamentary elections as soon as possible -- tasks the United Nations has been asked to help address.

A technical team from the world body is due to arrive in Baghdad this week to work with the US-picked interim Governing Council and the coalition from Saturday.

A second delegation headed by UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is scheduled to arrive a few days later, said council member Muwaffaq al-Rubaie.

While warmly received by Iraqi interim leaders, Brahimi and his group may receive a frosty welcome from Iraq's most influential cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who has deeply criticised a temporary constitution that maps out the country's future until a fully democratic government is created.

The basic law, signed earlier this month by the council, prompted criticism from many Iraqis, including Sistani, who say it is an illegitimate document drawn up by an unelected body under pressure from the United States.

On Monday, Sistani threatened to boycott the UN team if the United Nations endorses Iraq's fundamental law in a Security Council resolution.

Rubaie, however, downplayed the significance of his stance and insisted it would not disrupt the planned timeframe for the transfer of sovereignty.

Despite the confidence of Rubaie and other Iraqi and coalition leaders, insurgents appears intent on wrecking the US-approved plan for Iraq's future.

One US soldier was killed and two were wounded when their convoy was hit by a roadside bomb in the central Iraqi town of Baquba early Thursday. The previous day another American soldier died and one was injured when their convoy came under attack north of the Iraqi town of Taji.

The US troops responded and killed three attackers, Kimmitt said.

Added to an official Pentagon tally, the latest deaths raise to 283 the number of US soldiers killed in action since US President George W. Bush declared major hostilities in Iraq over on May 1.

And in a worrying new trend of targeting so-called US collaborators, an Iraqi interpreter for Time was shot and critically wounded on Wednesday in as yet unexplained circumstances.

Separately, witnesses said four Iraqis were killed, including a two-year-old child, and four children wounded during a US operation in the central Iraqi village of Gazwan overnight.

US military officials said they were looking into the report.

WAR.WIRE