Defence Minister Robert Hill said a convoy of three armoured vehicles was transporting Australian officials along a Baghdad road known as Route Irish when it was attacked by what defence officials believe was a suicide car bomb.

He said eight soldiers were hospitalised with wounds ranging from lacerations to broken bones. The two most seriously injured will be airlifted to Germany for further treatment.

He said no one was injured in the sniper attack on the Australian barracks adjacent to Canberra's embassy in Baghdad.

Both the car bomb and sniper attacks occurred about 10:00 am Baghdad time (0700 GMT) on Wednesday.

Australia has a small military contingent in Iraq in support of the US-led occupation.

Earlier this week a man with a vehicle loaded with fuel drums was shot near the embassy, and was thought to have subsequently died.

The attacks came amid a wave of casualties among US forces on Wednesday, with 37 killed in the highest single-day US toll since the 2003 invasion.

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