U.S. Soldier Dies of Gunshot Wound

A U.S. soldier serving in the NATO-led peace force in Bosnia died from a gunshot wound to the head, military officials said. The death was being treated as an isolated incident and was not related to any of the former warring sides in Bosnia, the peace force said in a statement. NATO spokesmen declined to comment on the circumstances, including whether the gunshot wound was self-inflicted, until an investigation is complete. The shooting occurred at Guardian Base, four miles southwest of Tuzla, the headquarters for about 8,000 U.S. troops in northern Bosnia. Authorities did not release the name of the dead soldier. Meanwhile, the United States, France, Britain, Sweden, Austria and Italy joined an initiative launched by Germany and suspended contacts with Bosnia’s diplomats in an effort to make the ethnically riven government divide up ambassadorial posts fairly.