Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. military personnel were involved in repelling a suicide bombing attack Sunday on an Iraqi military base in Baghdad, four days after the United States officially ended its combat operations in Iraq.
U.S. forces "provided suppressive fire" and helicopter support during the attack, said Lt. Col. Eric Bloom, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Baghdad. No U.S. soldiers were injured, Bloom said.
At least 12 people were killed and 36 others were injured in Sunday's attack, the Iraqi military command said. The interior ministry reported eight dead and 21 wounded.There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but a senior U.S. military official said American authorities believe al Qaeda in Iraq is responsible.
The U.S. official said there were five attackers: the vehicle bomber, who detonated his explosive device; two vest bombers who were killed by the Iraqi army as they tried to get through the checkpoint but did not detonate; and two attackers, who got into a building next to the checkpoint inside the compound and detonated themselves before the Iraqi army could get to them.
An Iraqi interior ministry official and the Baghdad Operations Command -- the Iraqi military command in the capital -- also said the attack was carried out by five suicide bombers.
CNN
