U.S. marine killed, August toll hits 15

BAGHDAD, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- A U.S. marine has been killed by gunmen in Fallujah west of Baghdad, the military said Friday.

The soldier died when his unit came under small arms-fire while conducting security operations Thursday.

The latest casualty pushed to 15 the death toll among the U.S. forces in Iraq in August, compared to 13 in July. The figure includes seven who were killed in non-combat conditions.

One Iraqi civilian died and 11 others were wounded Friday when an explosion slammed a mini bus carrying pilgrims to Karbala, the U.S. military said.

A security source, in a press statement, said the blast occurred in Baghdad's southeastern Ghadeer district as the bus was passing by, the Kuwait News Agency KUNA, reported.

Two female suicide bombers killed 27 civilians and wounded almost 100 others in explosions at Hiteen Complex on the road to Karbala in southern Baghdad on Thursday.