Four Italians die in Iraq crash

Italy has 3,000 troops in Iraq

An Italian military helicopter has crashed in Iraq, killing all four people on board, the Italian army says.

The incident happened close to the southern city of Nasiriya, where the majority of the 3,000 Italian troops in the country are based.

Officials have not given a reason for the crash, which took place overnight.

On Monday, four Americans and an Iraqi were killed when an Iraqi air force plane crashed close to the border with neighbouring Iran.

Suicide attack

The Iraqi aircraft came down near the village of Jalula, located about 130km (80 miles) northeast of Baghdad, US military spokesman Lt Col Fred Wellman told AP news agency.

The four Americans were members of the US Air Force while the Iraqi was a pilot.

The Italian military helicopter crashed as it returned from Kuwait overnight to Nasiriya.

In other developments, there has been another suicide bomb attack in Baquba, north of Baghdad.

Two Iraqi soldiers died and at least six others were injured when a bomb hidden in a truck exploded close to a military checkpoint in the town.

A policeman said the truck had pulled up to the checkpoint seconds before the explosion.

A Reuters cameraman said there were bodies are lying in the street.

Baquba has been the scene of several attacks against Iraqi security forces.