At least five killed in Iraq carbomb

10.20pm

NEAR NAJAF, Iraq - At least five people were killed today when a car bomb exploded at a US checkpoint near the central Iraqi city of Najaf, a US military official said.

The official said US forces were trying to establish how many American soldiers died in the blast and how many people had been in the car.

"It's still sketchy right now because they're still trying to find out what happened," said the official, who declined to be named.

Herald Feature: Iraq war