A suicide bomber detonated explosives close to a US military patrol in the Iraqi capital on Monday and witnesses said five US soldiers had been killed. "A terrorist wearing an explosive vest blew himself against a dismounted US patrol," Iraqi army spokesman Major General Qasim Ata told AFP.
"The attack left six Iraqi civilians wounded, and caused some casualties among the American troops." Witnesses told an AFP reporter on the scene that at least five US soldiers were killed.
An Iraqi army soldier whose trouser was drenched in blood after helping carry the victims said he rushed to help with his comrades after hearing the explosion. "We rushed on the spot and saw six casualties ... five Americans were killed and one translator was wounded," said the soldier, speaking on condition of anonymity.