The body of an American civilian has been found inside Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, a US military spokesman has said.
The body was believed to be that of a civilian working for the Department of Defence, said Lt. Col. Brian Maka. It was not clear whether the victim was a contractor.
Col Maka said the death was under investigation. He did not immediately release details surrounding the death, but an Iraqi police official said the American was found yesterday and appeared to have been killed.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not supposed to talk to media about the case.
The discovery of the body comes as the Iraqi government has begun tearing down blast walls surrounding the Green Zone, which houses a number of Iraqi government ministries as well as the American Embassy.
Iraq assumed control of the Green Zone under a US-Iraqi security pact that took effect Jan. 1.
Since the Green Zone was established shortly after the 2003 US-led invasion, it has been repeatedly shelled or attacked by suicide and car bombers.
In 2005, Ronald Schulz of Anchorage, Alaska, was believed to have been kidnapped from the Green Zone where he was working as an electrician. His body and that of a woman believed to be his Iraqi fiancee were found by the US military in a grave in September 2008.
The Islamic Army in Iraq claimed in December 2005 that it had killed the pair.
AP