A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb near a U.S. military camp in Baghdad on Sunday, killing 12 people and wounding 13, the military said. The bomb went off as police officers stopped the car about 300 yards from Camp Cuervo after seeing it was traveling in the wrong direction.

Lt. Col. James Hutton, a spokesman for the 1st Cavalry Division, which runs Camp Cuervo, said 12 were killed and 13 were wounded in the blast. He said there were no U.S. casualties.

U.S. soldiers helped evacuate the wounded, Hutton said.

Among the dead are four police officers and the bomber, said police Capt. Abdul-Razzaq Kadhem, sounding a defiant note.

"I think this is the last gasp of the terrorists," Kadhem said. "Iraq will not die. We will survive this, we will survive this."

Police sealed off the area, but two charred bodies of policemen -- covered by blankets -- could be seen in one of the damaged police cars.

Eight civilian cars were damaged, Kadhem said.

The attack marked the third car bombing in less than a week. Bombers blasted targets in two Iraqi cities Tuesday, killing 15 people -- including a U.S. soldier -- and wounding 50.

Source: Agencies