Aug. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Five Iraqis including two police officers were killed and more than 40 were wounded in a car bomb blast in Mosul, the first of several explosions in Iraq today that also claimed the life of a U.S. soldier.
The explosion in Mosul, in the nation's north, happened outside the Somer police station at about 8.15 a.m. Iraq time, according to a U.S.-led coalition statement. A guard shot dead the driver of the car as it drove at speed, before it crashed and detonated, the statement said.
About 15 minutes later a makeshift bomb exploded in central Baghdad, killing three Iraqis and injuring three more, according to a separate coalition press release.
One U.S. soldier from the First Infantry Division died and two were injured when their patrol was struck by a remotely detonated makeshift bomb near Samarra, north of Baghdad, at about 12:30 p.m., said a coalition statement.
Two more people were killed and about 20 injured in the evening when two car bombs exploded in central Baghdad, in the vicinity of two churches, Sky News reported, citing an ambulance worker. The attacks involved suicide bombers, Sky said, citing officials at the scene.
Two further car bombs exploded Sunday evening outside a church in Mosul, home to a significant Christian minority, Agence France-Presse reported, citing police.
The blasts came amid continued fighting between multinational forces, including U.S. marines, and insurgents in the Iraqi city of Fallujah. At least 10 insurgents were killed, according to a coalition statement.
The U.S. carried out at least seven air strikes in July in Fallujah against suspected fighters loyal to Abu Musab al- Zarqawi, whom the U.S. military says has organized suicide bombings and kidnappings in Iraq, AFP reported.
Bloomberg.com