A US soldier near the scene said an unidentified attacker threw some kind of explosive device at the convoy and caused a huge explosion, wounding three soldiers and destroying their Humvee military car.

He said a US soldier from another car in the convoy went to save them and was wounded by another explosion in the first vehicle. Some other soldiers said the explosion that left the four soldiers wounded was possibly caused by a land mine.

Earlier Monday, the US Central Command said a US soldier was killed and another wounded when their convoy was attacked near Hadithah, some 190 km northwest of Baghdad.

The eight-vehicle convoy of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, which was on a re-supply mission from al-Asad air base to al-Qaim, was attacked at about 6:15 a.m. (0215 GMT), the US Central Command said in a statement.

"An unknown number of attackers fired small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns at the convoy," the statement said.

"Attack helicopters and ground forces were immediately brought in to secure the area and seek out the attackers," it said, adding that the injured soldier was evacuated by helicopter.

The two soldiers' names were withheld until their families were notified, according to the statement.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2003)