US troops repelled two simultaneous attacks yesterday in the northern city of Samarra, killing 46 Iraqis, wounding at least 18 and capturing eight.

Five US soldiers and a civilian were wounded.

Many of the attackers were wearing uniforms of the Fedayeen, a militia loyal to Saddam Hussein, according to Lieutenant Colonel William MacDonald, of the 4th Infantry Division.

Two US logistical convoys were moving into Samarra when they were attacked with roadside bombs, small arms fire, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.

The attacks took place on the east and west sides of the city.

In a separate assault about an hour later, a convoy of US military engineers was attacked by four men with automatic rifles. The soldiers returned fire, wounding all four.

A British military expert warned last night the ambush could signal an intensifying of attacks by Iraqi insurgents.

Dr Toby Dodge, of Warwick University, said the simultaneous attacks were symptomatic of the increasing threat posed by resistance fighters.

He said: ''The high number of Iraqi combat deaths in one incident is remarkable and it may well be significant.''

* A North-East student is reported to have been arrested and interrogated in northern Iraq by Kurdish forces.

Urslaan Khan, 21, from Yarm, near Stockton, is thought to have gone missing weeks ago but is believed to have travelled to Mosul for an unknown reason.

He is taking a degree in Arabic studies at Manchester University and is spending the third year of his course at the University of Alexandria, in Egypt, learning Arabic.

Reports say Mr Khan has taken part in Stop the War marches in London and the Prime Minister's Sedgefield constituency, in County Durham.

Mr Khan's father, Abdul, refused to comment on his son's whereabouts last night.