News agencies say that the car bombs exploded just outside the heavily guarded ministry in central Baghdad.
Policeman Mohamed Jaafar said that two explosives laden cars accelerated toward a checkpoint on a road leading to the ministry but police opened fire, halting the vehicles. He said the number of deaths could have been much higher.
The U.S. military said today that a U.S. Marine died in combat yesterday in Babil Province south of Baghdad.
The death raises to at least 1,140 the number of U.S. troops killed in combat in Iraq since the start of the war nearly two years ago.
(Reuters)
Policeman Mohamed Jaafar said that two explosives laden cars accelerated toward a checkpoint on a road leading to the ministry but police opened fire, halting the vehicles. He said the number of deaths could have been much higher.
The U.S. military said today that a U.S. Marine died in combat yesterday in Babil Province south of Baghdad.
The death raises to at least 1,140 the number of U.S. troops killed in combat in Iraq since the start of the war nearly two years ago.
(Reuters)
