Car bomb west of Baghad, US casualties

RAMADI, Iraq, Jan 17 (AFP) - A suicide bomber blew up a car packed with explosives in the insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, west of Baghdad, Monday causing US casualties, the US military and witnesses said.
"A vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated in the vicinity of Ramadi earlier today, as elements of the First Marine Expeditionary Force were operating nearby," said Lieutenant Lyle Gilbert.
"The troops were then engaged by anti-Iraqi insurgents with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. There were US casualties," he added without elaborating.
Witnesses said the car sped alongside a convoy in the city centre and blew up at 3:30 pm (1230 GMT), burning two Humvee all-terrain vehicles.
A second bomb also detonated in the city, damaging other US military vehicles, the witnesses added. But the US military had no immediate word on a second attack.

01/17/2005 17:29 GMT - AFP