Winks Blog

Good morning,

BAGHDAD - A suicide car bomber struck an Iraqi army checkpoint outside the capital on Saturday, killing at least 12 soldiers in the deadliest of a series of attacks against Iraqi forces as they try to take over their country's security.

The explosion happened near the gate of the army unit's headquarters in Iskandariyah, 30 miles south of the capital, provincial police spokesman Capt. Muthanna Khalid said, giving the casualty toll.

In Baghdad, a parked car bomb struck a convoy of Iraqi police commandos and gunmen opened fire on police on a foot patrol. In Baqouba, two suicide bombers on foot blew themselves up at a police checkpoint at an intersection, killing a policeman.

Iraqi military and police forces are frequent targets of al-Qaida-linked insurgents bent on ending the government's cooperation with U.S. troops in Baghdad and surrounding areas.
In southern Iraq, an apparent rocket attack at the U.S.-run Camp Bucca detention facility killed at least six detainees and wounded 50, the military said. No American casualties were reported.

Have a nice day.