Five die in suicide bombing
2003-04-04 16:11
Baghdad - Three Coaltion soldiers and a pregnant woman have been killed in a suspected suicide bombing at a checkpoint in Iraq, Sky News reported US officials as saying.
US Central Command said two more soldiers were injured when a car exploded at the checkpoint.
It appeared to be a suicide attack, US officials said in a statement.
"A pregnant female stepped out of the vehicle and began screaming in fear.
"At this point the civilian vehicle exploded, killing three coalition force members who were approaching the vehicle and wounding two others," they said.
The woman and the car's driver also died, the officials said.
The incident occurred on Thursday evening about 7km southwest of the Haditha Dam, the officials said.
The dam, northwest of Baghdad and about 50km from the Iraq-Syria border, was recently seized by Coalition troops.
Jim Wilkinson, a spokesman for General Tommy Franks, said: "The more desperate the regime gets, the more desperate their tactics and this is the latest tragic example."
A suicide bomber in a car killed four US soldiers at another checkpoint in Najaf a week ago.
Days later, at least seven Iraqi civilians, including women and children, were killed by US troops who opened fire on a vehicle after it failed to stop at a checkpoint near Najaf.
An unarmed driver was also shot at Shatra in similar circumstances. - Sky News