BAGHDAD (AP) - A car bomb struck a joint U.S.-Iraqi military

convoy north of Baghdad on Friday, killing at least five people,

including two American troops.

Iraqi officials said a suicide attacker hit a patrol of Humvees

and Stryker vehicles in central Jalula, about 80 miles (125

kilometers) northeast of Baghdad, not far from the Iranian border.

American forces responsible for operations in Iraq's north

confirmed the casualties in Diyala province. Names of the

casualties were not released, pending notification of family

members.

They said three Iraqis, including one police officer, were also

killed, and about 22 were wounded in the blast.

Iraqi police, hospital and local officials said four Iraqis were

killed, including a policeman and a woman, and 14 others were

wounded. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they

weren't authorized to release the information.

Conflicting casualty tolls are common in the chaotic aftermath

of an attack.

U.S. forces have largely pulled back from urban areas in Iraq as

Iraqis take responsibility for securing their country ahead of a

full American withdrawal by the end of next year. The American

death toll has dropped sharply but attacks continue.

Friday's attack raised to at least four the number of American

deaths this month, but the two earlier ones were due to non-combat

reasons, according to an Associated Press tally.

The Jalula bombing was the second deadly attack in Iraq on

Friday.

Three people were killed when a bomb hidden in a pile of trash

exploded at a market in southern Baghdad. That explosion, in the

capital's Dora neighborhood, wounded 10 people.

Iraqi officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they

were not authorized to speak to the media.