5 U.S. Service Members Said Killed in Iraq

Five U.S. service members were killed Saturday when a roadside bomb detonated north of Baghdad, CNN reported, citing sources in the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.

If confirmed, the attack would raise the total number of American forces killed in Iraq since the war began on March 20 to over 500.

The explosion split open the gun turret of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle they were traveling in about 20 miles north of the capital, according to the network.

In Baghdad, the U.S. military command confirmed that an incident had occurred in the Taji area north of Baghdad but it had no details. Efforts to contact the 4th Infantry Division, which is responsible for the area, were unsuccessful.

The vehicle flipped over and caught fire, and the gunner and commander escaped with injuries, the sources said, according to CNN. The four people in the back and the driver were killed, the report said.

Also Saturday, the military said a U.S. soldier died from a non-hostile gunshot wound south of Baghdad. The incident occurred Friday evening near Diwaniyah south of Baghdad, the command said in a statement. No further details were released.

The six deaths would bring to 502 the number of U.S. service members who have died since the Iraq conflict began.