Car bomb hits US-Iraqi patrol, killing 2 Americans, at least 3 Iraqis north of Baghdad

Bomb kills 2 Americans, 3 Iraqis on joint patrol

BAGHDAD — A suicide attacker in an explosives-rigged car bombed U.S. and Iraqi forces on joint patrol Friday, killing two Americans and at least three Iraqis.

The bomber struck the convoy of Humvees and Stryker vehicles in the town of Jalula, about 80 miles (125 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad, not far from the Iranian border, according to Iraqi officials. The U.S. military, which confirmed the casualties, said another six American troops were wounded in the attack.

Although U.S. forces have largely pulled back from urban areas as Iraqis take responsibility for securing their country, Friday’s attack illustrates the risks that remain for American troops here.

Names of the casualties were not released, pending notification of family members.

The U.S. said three Iraqis, including one police officer, were also killed, and about 22 were wounded in the blast.

It was the deadliest reported attack on U.S. troops since April 7, when two soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in Mosul.

A man who was watching the patrol from his doorway when the bomber struck said he believed troops were searching for weapons after a dispute among residents brandishing hand grenades and firearms the previous day.

The man, who gave his name as Abu Kowyan, said the assailant attacked from a nearby alley, ramming his car into the patrol as troops were getting out of their vehicles.

He said he counted about seven or eight American soldiers lying on the ground after the blast. The fiery explosion shattered windows in his house 20 yards (meters) away.

Iraqi police, hospital and local officials put the death toll higher than the U.S. They said the blast killed six Iraqis, including one policeman, and wounded 22 others. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to release the information.

Conflicting casualty tolls are common in the confusion after an attack.

Jalula is located in a corner of Diyala province populated by both Kurds and Sunni Arabs, and has been the site of previous attacks. In March last year, a suicide bomber struck a Kurdish funeral in the town, killing 27.

The number of Americans dying in Iraq has dropped sharply, in part because of reduced troop levels as American combat forces prepare to leave by the end of August. But attacks continue.

Friday’s attack raised to at least four the number of American deaths this month, but the two earlier ones were not related to combat, according to an Associated Press tally.

The Jalula bombing was one of two deadly attacks in Iraq on Friday.

A bomb hidden in a pile of trash exploded at a market in southern Baghdad, killing three people. That explosion, in the capital’s Dora neighborhood, wounded 10 people.

Associated Press Writer Bushra Juhi contributed to this report.