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MSNBC/APSome GIs killed by type of explosive that U.S. alleges comes from IranBAGHDAD, Iraq - A car bomb killed at least 13 people Wednesday in a Shiite part of Baghdad, and the U.S. command announced the deaths of eight more American soldiers — some victims of a weapon the American command believes comes from Iran.
At least 44 Iraqis were killed or found dead nationwide Wednesday, according to police reports. The toll marked an uptick in the daily carnage as President Bush prepares for a showdown in Congress over the future of the U.S. mission.
The deadliest attack occurred when a roadside bomb exploded along a busy highway during the morning rush hour in the eastern Baghdad district of Baladiyat. A medic at a nearby hospital said 13 people died, but a police officer put the figure at 15.
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The bloodshed in mostly Shiite eastern Baghdad occurred a week after the country’s most powerful Shiite militia leader, cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, ordered his fighters to cease attacks for up to six months so he could restructure his Mahdi Army.
But U.S. commanders say renegade elements within the Mahdi Army have disregarded al-Sadr’s order and are continuing attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces. The U.S. believes those groups are backed by the Iranians, a charge that the Islamic Republic denies.
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