Car explosion kills three US soldiers

A car has exploded near a coalition checkpoint in Iraq, killing three coalition soldiers, a pregnant woman and the car’s driver, US Central Command said today.

A US Central Command spokesman said it appeared to be a suicide attack.

The spokesman said the incident happened yesterday evening about 11 miles south-west of Haditha Dam when a civilian vehicle approached a coalition checkpoint.

The dam is north-west of Baghdad, about 80 miles from the Iraq-Syria border.

“A pregnant female stepped out of the vehicle and began screaming in fear,” Central Command said in a statement.

“At this point the civilian vehicle exploded, killing three coalition force members who were approaching the vehicle and wounding two others.”

It said the woman and the driver were also killed.