Iraq truck bomb death toll at 12 -U.S. military

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The death toll from a truck bomb attack on a police checkpoint in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi on Friday was 12, the U.S. military said on Saturday.

The toll was considerably lower than that reported by most media organisations. The military said the blast wounded 43, including eight women and five children.

Three Iraqi police officers had told Reuters on Friday that at least 10 people died and 24 were wounded in the latest in a string of attacks that have spewed poisonous chlorine gas into the air. A fourth officer put the toll at 35 dead.

The military statement said the truck ignored warnings to slow down when approaching the checkpoint. The truck exploded after police fired at it. It was not clear whether the gunfire detonated the vehicle or if the driver did, the statement said.

Ramadi is the capital of western Anbar province, the heartland of the Sunni Arab insurgency. U.S. commanders have blamed al Qaeda militants for several of the chlorine attacks.