Basra: A roadside bomb killed six
people and wounded 12 aboard a bus in Iraq`s southern port
city of Basra today, a provincial official said.
The blast targeted a passing US military convoy but
instead struck the bus and wrecked it, the head of Basra
provincial council`s
Women and children were among the casualties of the
10:00 am (0700 GMT) attack near a train station in the
al-Maakal district of north Basra, Ghanimi said, but it was
unclear how many of them died or were wounded.
Sergeant Sarah Snedden, a spokeswoman for US forces in
Iraq, confirmed there had been "an incident in Basra" but did
not provide further details.
Violence has declined dramatically across Iraq since
its peak in 2006 and 2007, but attacks remain common, with 197
people dying as a result of violence in February.
The presence of US forces in Iraq`s streets is also
rare -- the 50,000-odd troops stationed in the country are
mainly tasked with training and equipping their Iraqi
counterparts, though they do still conduct joint
counter-terror operations.
All US forces must withdraw from Iraq by the end of
the year, under the terms of a bilateral security agreement.
Bureau Report
