Three injured in Basra police bus bomb attack

A bomb hit a bus carrying 20 police officers in southern Basra, injuring three, police said.

Lt. Col. Kareem al-Zaidi said the 6.30am (4am Irish time) attack happened in the Qibla neighbourhood in the western part of the city.

Insurgents regularly target Iraqi security forces in a bid to destabilise the country’s reconstruction efforts.

Hundreds of police, who are considered US collaborators, have been killed in suicide bombing attacks and ambushes since Saddam Hussein was ousted last year.

Meanwhile, three US soldiers were injured when a car bomb exploded today in southern Baghdad.

The attack against a 1st Cavalry Division patrol happened at about 7.30am (5.30am Irish time) in the Rashid district of the capital, the US military said.

There was no information on any civilian casualties.

US soldiers sealed off the area. Thick smoke could be seen erupting from a burning car after the blast.