BAGHDAD, Oct. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Four US soldiers were wounded when a car bomb detonated as their convoy was passing by in Iraq's northern city of Mosul Tuesday, the US military said.

   The military said the blast occurred at midday at a traffic circle in Yarmouk, wounding the four soldiers who were evacuated to a military hospital in Mosul.

   Witnesses said US soldiers then opened fire, killing three civilians in a nearby vehicle, which was denied by the US military.

   Insurgents have been waging a 17-month campaign to drive the United States and its allies out of Iraq.

   Mosul, located some 400 km north of Baghdad, has witnessed asurge of rebellious attacks in recent weeks.  Enditem