A suicide car bombing has rocked central Baghdad, killing an Iraqi security guard near the United Nations headquarters that was devastated last month in another suicide attack.
U.S. officials say the bomber also died in today's (Monday's) powerful blast in a parking lot next to the U.N. offices. U.N. officials say at least 17 people were wounded in the explosion, including two U.N. workers and a number of Iraqi policemen.
The car blew up after it was stopped for inspection at a checkpoint 100 meters or more from the U.N. headquarters (at the Canal Hotel). The building was not damaged.
A suicide truck bombing at the headquarters last month killed more than 20 people, including the top U.N. representative in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. The U.N. complex is now used mainly by local Iraqi employees of the United Nations.
Today's explosion was the latest in a series of attacks against the U.S. - led coalition trying to rebuild Iraq.
U.S. military officials said three American soldiers were killed late Saturday in two attacks west of the capital.
Earlier Saturday, one of three woman on the U.S. - appointed Iraqi Governing Council was seriously wounded by gunmen outside her home. Akila al-Hashimi was preparing to leave for New York as a Council representative at the United Nations General Assembly.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.