Top Iraqi general killed by sniper -police

BAGHDAD, Mar 6 (Reuters) One of the highest-ranking generals in Iraq's new, U.S.-trained army was shot dead in Baghdad on Monday, the US military and Iraqi police said.

Major General Mubdar Hatim al-Dulaimi, commander of all Iraqi army forces in the capital, was killed by a sniper, police sources said. he was shot as he drove through western Baghdad.

As the commander of the 6th Division, among the first and biggest of Iraq's new army divisions formed by US forces as part of their plans for eventual withdrawal, Dulaimi was among the most prominent officers in Iraq's security forces.

His troops have been in the front line of efforts for the past two weeks to prevent further sectarian bloodshed in the wake of an attack on a major Shi'ite shrine.

Iraqi leaders are concerned that further violence between Iraq's minority Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims could spark civil war.

The US commander in Iraq, General George Casey, said in a statement: ''This tragic incident will neither impede the 6th Iraqi Army Division from continuing its mission of securing Baghdad nor derail the formation of the government of Iraq.'' Iraqi leaders are trying to form a unity government. But with parliament set to meet on Sunday for the first time since a December election, there is little sign of agreement.

President George W. Bush has said U.S. troops will gradually pull out of Iraq as local security forces take over. However, some Iraqi leaders, notably once dominant minority Sunni Arabs, fear that the armed forces are dominated by Shi'ites and Kurds and are themselves potential aggressors in any conflict.

The US military said in a statement: ''Mubdar had been visiting his soldiers in Kadimiyah and was returning to his headquarters when his convoy came under small arms fire attack.'' REUTERS VJ RAI0343