BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - A bomb planted on a street in the southern city of Basra tore apart a minibus Tuesday, killing at least three Iraqis and scattering body parts across the road in the latest deadly guerrilla attack in Iraq.
Iraqi police said no British soldiers, who are in charge of security in Basra, were in the area at the time of the blast near a police checkpoint in the mainly Shi'ite city.
Southern Iraq has seen fewer attacks on occupying troops than Baghdad and the surrounding Sunni Muslim heartland. At least 153 U.S. and 12 British soldiers have been killed in action since Washington declared major combat over on May 1.
The United States has been pushing for other countries to send troops to help secure Iraq, and is also trying to give more responsibility for security to Iraqi police and troops.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Monday that Washington was not looking for an exit strategy, and that his top commanders had assured him the insurgency was under control.
The Pentagon last week announced a plan to reduce U.S. forces in Iraq to 105,000 by next May, and has said the number of Iraqis serving in security forces will soon exceed the American troop presence in the country.
"The goal is not to reduce the number of U.S. forces in Iraq," Rumsfeld said. "It's not to develop an exit strategy. Our exit strategy in Iraq is success. It's that simple."
BUSH, RUMSFELD, BLAIR UNDER PRESSURE
Rumsfeld said he spoke earlier Monday with General John Abizaid, head of U.S. Central Command, and Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, the top U.S. general in Iraq.
"They feel that the problem is in control, which is not to say that a terrorist can't attack at any time, at any place, using any technique," Rumsfeld said.