December 12, 2003	Friday	Shawwal 17, 1424

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BAGHDAD, Dec 11: A car bomb exploded outside an American army base west of Baghdad on Thursday, causing some US casualties and killing three Iraqis believed to be in the vehicle, the US Army said.

A spokeswoman said the attack occurred at a base of the 82nd Airborne Division near the flashpoint town of Ramadi.

“A car bomb exploded at approximately 1.30pm... The 82nd Airborne did sustain casualties,” she said, adding their condition was unclear.

“It’s believed that three Iraqis who were in the vehicle were killed in the explosion.” Officials earlier said it might have been a suicide attack.

Ramadi has been the site of repeated strikes against Iraq’s US occupiers. About 100kms west of Baghdad, it lies in a swathe of territory north and west of the capital where US troops have faced persistent attacks from resistance fighters they call loyalists of ousted president Saddam Hussein.

A suicide car bomb attack on a military base in the northern city of Mosul earlier this week wounded nearly 60 US soldiers, several of them seriously.

Since Washington declared an end to major combat in Iraq on May 1, 195 US soldiers have been killed in action by anti-American fighters.—Reuters