Three U.S. Soldiers Killed West of Baghdad
Tue January 27, 2004 08:34 AM ET

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least three U.S. soldiers were killed and one wounded by a roadside bomb west of the Iraqi capital Tuesday, the U.S. military said.

"The last report I have is that three soldiers were killed and one wounded," a U.S. spokesman said.

He said a roadside bomb had exploded in the town of Khaldiya at around 1 a.m. GMT. There are regular attacks on U.S. forces in the Khaldiya region, where resistance to the U.S. occupation of Iraq is strong.

A Reuters cameraman in the town said he saw civilian cars on fire. Soldiers blocked off a road leading to the site, and a large column of black smoke rose into the air.

Since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March, at least 517 American soldiers have died, 358 in combat.

517 AMerican sons and daughters have died in pursuit of weapons of mass destruction that did not exist