Roadside bomb kills US soldier

A roadside bomb exploded today in central Baghdad, killing a US soldier and wounding another, the US military said.

The victims were part of a three vehicle military police patrol from the 1st Armoured Division when the blast happened at 9.20am (6.20am irish time). There was no word on Iraqi casualties.

The names of the soldiers were withheld pending notification of their families.

The latest death brings to 539 the number of US service members have died since the United States launched the Iraq war in March.

Earlier, the US military said gunmen ambushed a car carrying American civilians on a road south of Baghdad, killing one and wounding three others.