Mortars Hammer Green Zone, Killing 1 American

March 27, 2008— -- The U.S. Embassy says one American has been killed in rocket or mortar attacks against the Green Zone.

The announcement comes as the heavily fortified area and other parts of Baghdad have been hammered by rockets and mortars for most of this week.

Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo has identified the American killed Thursday as a government employee but says she can give no further details until relatives are notified.

An American financial analyst also was killed Sunday in the first volley to strike the Green Zone.

The U.S. military has blamed Iranian-backed Shiite militiamen for the attacks, which come as amid heightened tensions between followers of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and the Shiite-led government.