A CAR BOMB KILLED FOUR IRAQIS AND INJURED 18 OTHERS WHEN IT WAS DETONATED ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON NEAR A GAS STATION IN THE WASTA DISTRICT, SOUTH OF KIRKUK, SAID A SECURITY SOURCE, ACCORDING TO DPA. A SOURCE FROM THE KIRKUK POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT A CAR LADEN WITH EXPLOSIVES WAS PARKED NEAR THE GAS STATION AND THE BOMB WAS DETONATED AS A QUEUE OF VEHICLES WERE AWAITING TO BE REFUELLED. THE CAR BOMB WENT OFF AT 2.45 PM (12.45 GMT) AND RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF FOUR IRAQIS, THE INJURY OF 18 OTHERS, AND THE BURNING OF FOUR VEHICLES, THE SOURCE SAID. ALL OF THE CASUALTIES WERE IRAQI CIVILIANS AND TWO CHILDREN AND TWO WOMEN WERE AMONGST THE 18 INJURED. THE GAS STATION ITSELF DID NOT CATCH FIRE AS IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH SPECIAL SAFETY MECHANISMS. THE SOURCE SAID THAT THIS EXPLOSION WAS THE THIRD OF ITS KIND TO HIT THIS NORTHERN IRAQI CITY WITHIN TWO WEEKS. EARLIER ON SATURDAY, TWO SEPARATE BOMB ATTACKS IN BAGHDAD INJURED 18 IRAQIS. THE WITNESSES SAID THAT THE FIRST EXPLOSIVE DEVICE WAS DETONATED IN TAYARAN SQUARE IN CENTRAL BAGHDAD ON SATURDAY MORNING, ADDING THAT 12 IRAQIS WERE INJURED IN THIS EXPLOSION. THE WITNESSES SAID THAT A SECOND EXPLOSIVE DEVICE WAS DETONATED IN THE BAGHDAD DISTRICT OF WAZIRIYAH, RESULTING IN THE INJURING OF SIX OTHER IRAQIS. THE US COMMAND IN BAGHDAD ANNOUNCED ON SATURDAY THAT FOUR US MARINES WERE KILLED IN FIGHTING WITH INSURGENTS IN THE WESTERN IRAQI PROVINCE OF ANBAR. NO FURTHER DETAILS WERE GIVEN.
