Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

    BAGHDAD, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Four Philippine contractors working for the U.S. embassy were killed by rocket attack on Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, the U.S. embassy said in a statement on Thursday.

    "We announce the loss of four U.S. government contractors as the result of a rocket attack on the International Zone in Baghdad,Iraq, on May 2nd, 2007," the embassy said in a statement.  

    "These four colleagues, citizens of the Philippines, were integral members of our embassy community," the statement said.  

    The deadly rocket attack occurred on Wednesday in the Green Zone, which houses the Iraqi government offices and the U.S.embassy.