4 GIs killed in combat; bomb kills 24

BAGHDAD — A car bomb exploded in a crowded outdoor market in the northern city of Kirkuk on Tuesday, hours after four U.S. soldiers were killed in combat on Monday in Baghdad.

The car bomb killed at least 24 people, police said, a deadly reminder of the challenges facing the Iraqi government even as it celebrated the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from cities.

The bombing marred what had otherwise been a festive day as Iraqis marked what the government decreed National Sovereignty Day.

The car bomb exploded as the vegetable and poultry market was crowded with people shopping for their evening meal, police Brig. Gen. Sarhat Qadir said.

Police and hospital officials gave the death toll and said about 40 people were wounded.

It was the latest in a series of bombings and shootings that have killed more than 250 people since June 20, including a truck bombing near Kirkuk that killed 82.

U.S. and Iraqi officials have warned more violence was likely as suspected Sunni insurgents try to undermine confidence in the government in the days surrounding the withdrawal deadline.

The military said the four U.S. soldiers who were killed Monday served with the Multi–National Division—Baghdad but did not provide further details pending notification of their families. It said they died as a "result of combat related injuries."

It was the deadliest attack against U.S. forces since May 21, when three soldiers were killed and nine others were wounded in a roadside bombing in southern Baghdad.

The top U.S. commander in Iraq said the latest deaths show militants remain a threat but said he was confident Iraqi security forces could face the challenge.

"It reminds me that there are still dangers out there. There are still people out there who do not want the government of Iraq to succeed. They do not want to see a democratic country move forward," Gen. Ray Odierno said Tuesday at a news conference.

He said many roadside bomb and rocket attacks in Baghdad were being carried out by militants funded or trained by Iran.

But, he said, the number of such attacks was "significantly smaller" due to security measures making them more difficult to carry out.