Two explosions hit the southern outskirts of Baghdad shortly after dawn on Tuesday, Reuters said. "Two big explosions rocked the city just now from the south," a Reuters correspondent said. "Until now it was quiet since 4.00 a.m. (0100 GMT)."
Elsewhere, U.S. troops in southern Iraq shot and killed seven women and children in a van Monday when the driver failed to stop at a checkpoint as ordered, U.S. Central Command said.
An American journalist who was at the scene said 10 Iraqis were killed, including five young children. The soldiers were from the 3rd Infantry Division.
Meanwhile, the Central Command said, an Iraqi prisoner was shot to death after he reached for a Marine's weapon while being questioned.
Monday's fatal shooting at the checkpoint happened along Route 9 near Najaf.
Two other civilians were wounded at the checkpoint on a highway near Karbala, according to a Pentagon official and Central Command.
The military statement said 13 women and children were in the van. But The Washington Post, whose reporter is embedded with the 3rd Infantry, said 15 people were in the vehicle and 10 were killed, including five children who appeared to be younger than age 5.
The newspaper described the vehicle as a four-wheel-drive Toyota crammed with the Iraqis' personal belongings. (Albawaba.com)
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