Baghdad, 2 September 2003 (RFE/RL) -- A car exploded near a police academy in central Baghdad today, wounding bystanders, one severely. Iraqi police Major Bassal al-Ani said there were no fatalities. The explosion caused little damage to the building, which is near the Interior Ministry building.
Acting Baghdad police chief Hassan al-Obeidi has offices in the building.
In other incidents, a U.S. soldier died and another was injured in a helicopter accident near Baghdad. And the army said earlier that a bomb killed two U.S. military police and wounded one yesterday. A U.S. army spokeswoman said today that the officers' vehicle struck "an improvised explosive device" on a road south of the capital.
The helicopter accident takes to 79 the number of U.S. soldiers who have died in accidents or other circumstances unrelated to combat in Iraq since President George W. Bush declared major operations over on 1 May. Some 67 soldiers have died in hostile attacks.
Acting Baghdad police chief Hassan al-Obeidi has offices in the building.
In other incidents, a U.S. soldier died and another was injured in a helicopter accident near Baghdad. And the army said earlier that a bomb killed two U.S. military police and wounded one yesterday. A U.S. army spokeswoman said today that the officers' vehicle struck "an improvised explosive device" on a road south of the capital.
The helicopter accident takes to 79 the number of U.S. soldiers who have died in accidents or other circumstances unrelated to combat in Iraq since President George W. Bush declared major operations over on 1 May. Some 67 soldiers have died in hostile attacks.