Two children view election posters on a wall in Baghdad's Sadr City Jan. 26, 2005.  (Xinhua photo)

Violence continued in Iraq prior to Sunday's general elections when a local electoral headquarters in Samarra was under mortar attack on Tuesday.

The assault was the latest in a spate of attacks devised to derail the upcoming elections.

"The mortar rounds hit the building taken by the Independent Electoral Commission as its headquarters in the city and caused severe damage," a policeman said.

But nobody was hurt in the attack as it took place early in themorning, he added.

The two dozen commission staff in Samarra, 110 km north of Baghdad, had resigned earlier this month in response to the call of the Muslim Scholars Association to boycott the elections.

An extremist group led by al-Qaida's ally Abu Mussab al-Zarqawihas threatened to strike the Iraqi security forces, which were tasked to protect voting centers.

Handouts attributed to "Tawhid wal Jihad (unity and holy war)" group were distributed in areas north of Tikrit, warning citizens against taking part in the elections. "Anyone taking part would beeliminated during or even after the elections," one leaflet reads.

About 11 members of the Electoral Commission in the areas resigned because of the death threats.

In Tikrit, a police officer said gunmen killed two sons of a member of Iraq's Salahdin provincial council.

"The sons of Sheikh Qahtan al-Jwari died after they were attacked on the highway between Balad and Dholuyah," Colonel Hassan Ahmed said.

Ahmed identified the two killed as Yaarob and Mishaan. Jwari isresponsible for areas around Balad,some 100 km north of Baghdad.

Salah Dhiab, a member of the city council of Balad, who traveled with them, was injured in the attack and hospitalized, Ahmed added.

In a separate incident, two citizens were wounded when a bomb exploded about 4:30 a.m. (0130 GMT) Tuesday morning on the road between Samarra and Mutasam, said the police.

The bomb explosion was said to be targeting an American military patrol but apparently missed the target and hit the two civilians.

In eastern Baghdad, gunmen assassinated an Iraqi judge on Tuesday as he was leaving his home. The judge, identified as Qais Hashim al-Shameri, was killed along with his son when unidentifiedgunmen opened fire at his car.

On the same day, a video tape showed a US citizen, apparently taken hostage in Iraq, pleaded for life.

The man identifying himself as Roy Hallams said, "I have been arrested by a resistance group in Iraq. I am asking for help because my life is in danger because it's been proved that I work for American forces."

Meanwhile, Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said no final date was set for the withdrawal of the US-led multinational forces.

"I will not set final dates for the withdrawal of the multinational forces, because setting final dates will be futile and dangerous," Allawi told reporters.

"Some talked about the immediate withdrawal or setting a timetable for the withdrawal of the multinational forces, but thatwill not serve the interests of the Iraqi people," he said.

Allawi said the elections would be the first step toward building Iraq capable of functioning without the presence of the foreign troops.

"The final step will come when the Iraqi security forces becomeeffective and able to destroy terrorist bases in the country," he said.

"After we have achieved the final step, the presence of the multinational forces can be decreased and our forces can assume the security responsibility," Allawi added.

In Washington, the White House said the United States is focusing on training and equipping Iraqi security forces and making sure that they will be able to defend themselves from internal and external threats.

The US has a commitment to support Iraqis as they work to improve the security situation throughout the country. "That's a top priority as we work to complete our mission in Iraq," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said at a regular news briefing.

"We're going to do everything we can to support our troops as they work to win the war on terrorism."

On the upcoming Iraqi elections, McClellan said US President George W. Bush had a telephone conversation earlier in the day with Allawi over preparations.

"The president underscored how this election will be an historic moment for the people of Iraq," McClellan said, adding that the two leaders attached importance to encouraging broad participation in the elections. Enditem