One US Marine dead, three injured in mine explosion in Iraq

WASHINGTON (AFP) Jul 02, 2003
A US Marine was killed and three injured in an explosion while they were clearing a minefield near Karbala, Iraq, the US Central Command said.

An Iraqi technician also was injured in the explosion.

The injured were taken to a nearby medical facility, the command said in a statement.

The death brought to 67 the number of US troops killed since May 1, when President George W. Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq after the ouster of Saddam Hussein, defense officials said. Of those, at least 26 have been killed as a result of hostile fire.

Earlier, US military officials said a soldier injured in an attack Tuesday near Baghdad had died from his wounds.

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