NASSIRIYA, April 11: US Marines said they killed two children at a checkpoint in Iraq on Friday, when the driver of the vehicle in which the youngsters were travelling ignored warnings to stop, creating fears of a suicide attack.

Captain Jay Delarosa, spokesman for the 15th US Marine Expeditionary Unit in the southern city of Nassiriya, said nine other people in the vehicle were wounded in the incident.

US forces manning checkpoints across Iraq are on edge following suicide attacks that have killed or wounded marines or soldiers checking vehicles.

Delarosa said a vehicle, which he described as a minivan, had approached a US checkpoint in Nassiriya at “a high rate of speed” at 6.45 a.m. on Friday.

“The vehicle was told numerous times to stop, not only by the signs but by motions by the Marines,” he said in a statement.

“The vehicle...picked up speed and moved through the serpentine protecting obstacles in front of the checkpoint. The Marines suspected, because of the actions, that it was a suicide bomber. The Marines...opened fire,” he added.—Reuters