Leaders of the US occupation have launched an urgent investigation after complaints from Iraqi archaeologists that US-hired contractors may have damaged the ancient city of Babylon, one of Iraq's most revered historic sites.
Paul Bremer, the US administrator in Iraq, and Lt General Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of the US-led multinational force, have also initiated moves to hand the site back to the Iraqis. In a joint statement they said yesterday they had stopped further operations at Babylon "that are or may be likely to cause archaeological damage". The US would pay to repair any damage.
They did not give details of the damage, but it was clear that it emerged only after experts were allowed in to make a rare inspection. Mr Bremer promised that future excavation would be done alongside Iraqi archaeologists.
US forces captured Babylon during the invasion last year, and it has since been off limits to visitors, except with special permission. US officials say troops are based there to defend it from looters. The site housed the hanging gardens, one of the seven wonders of the world.
Very little of the original city remains and the site has been extensively rebuilt, particularly by Saddam Hussein.
· Most US voters believe it was not worth going to war in Iraq and almost two-thirds think the US is "getting bogged down", according to a Los Angeles Times poll.
The poll, which shows that views on the Iraq war represent a divide between Republicans and Democrats, reveals that 53% of voters say that the situation in Iraq did not merit the war, while 43% say it did. When the question was asked by the same pollsters in November and March, the figures were reversed.