Troops dead in Iraq city blasts

Major General Andrzej Tyszkiewicz, who commands the Polish-led force in the area, said the attacks were co-ordinated and meant to do much harm.

Blasts hit the mayor's office and two bases used by coalition forces on the university campus.

Seven Iraqi civilians and police were killed and 80 injured, doctors said.


Bulgaria's Defence Ministry said four Bulgarian soldiers were among the dead, while 27 of its servicemen sustained injuries in Saturday's car bomb and mortar attacks.

The other two dead soldiers are believed to be from Thailand.

Karbala is a holy Shia city south of the capital Baghdad. Several nations have troops operating there, including Poland, Bulgaria, Thailand, the Philippines and the US.

Five of the injured were said to be in a serious condition.

'Massive'

City governor Akram al-Yasseri was among those injured in the blasts, the French news agency AFP reported.

Major General Tyszkiewicz said on Polish TV that four car bombs had been used, as well as grenade-launchers and guns.

A rapid reaction force and 10 helicopters were sent to deal with them and the drivers of the cars were shot before they could enter the bases, he said.

"It was a co-ordinated, massive attack planned for a big scale and intended to do much harm," he added.

Earlier, US military officials said American soldiers had killed four Iraqis in the northern city of Mosul after coming under attack.

The soldiers were checking for roadside explosives devices when they were fired at with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms.

US troops in and around Mosul have repeatedly come under attack in recent weeks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3350995.stm