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Top News Rome Packed with Pilgrims, Date Set for Conclave Parliament Elects Iraq's First Kurdish President Trial of Accused Serial Bomber Begins in Alabama BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Dozens of insurgents attacked Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad on Saturday, detonating two suicide car bombs and firing rocket-propelled grenades at U.S. forces before the assault was repelled, the U.S. military said. At least 20 U.S. soldiers were wounded in the fighting, which lasted around an hour, a U.S. officer said. At least 12 detainees were also wounded, some severely. It was not known how many insurgents were wounded or killed. "A group of between 40 and 60 insurgents attacked the U.S. forward operating base at Abu Ghraib," Lieutenant Colonel Guy Rudisill, spokesman for detainee affairs, told Reuters, saying the attack began at around 10 a.m. EST. "They detonated two VBIEDs (suicide car bombs) and also fired rocket-propelled grenades into the prison camp ... it was a sustained attack," he said. U.S. forces responded with heavy weapons, and the situation was under control by 2 p.m. EST, Rudisill said. "The attacks were intermittent. They would fire RPGs and then stop, then they would attack again," he said. "It's under control now." Witnesses said the second car bomb was detonated against U.S. forces as they were trying to evacuate casualties from the first car bomb blast. Rudisill said U.S. troops had sealed the prison grounds and it was not believed that any insurgents had managed to penetrate the jail's perimeter. Abu Ghraib, notorious for the prisoner abuse scandal that emerged last year, is on the western outskirts of Baghdad. It is one of three U.S.-run detention facilities in the country.
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Iraqi and US army forces repelled the attack.
An insurgency involving approximately 40 to 60 fighters at Abu Ghraib prison base was repelled by the Iraqi and US armies on Saturday, according to Lieutenant Colonel Guy Rudisill in a conversation with ''Reuters''.

The conflict, described as intermittent and lasting an hour, involved two car bombs, rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire. Officials in Baghdad reported approximately 20 U.S. service members and 12 prison detainees were wounded. According to the Colonel the attack occurred at 10 a.m. EST.

US forces responded with heavy weapons fire and eventually brought the situation under control. There are no reports how many insurgents were wounded or killed in the battle.

''CBS News'' reported that there was a car bomb explosion today in the city of Khan Bani Saad, located in central Iraq, killing 4 police officers and injuring 5 civilians. While in Iraq's capital city of Baghdad, in a drive by shooting gunmen killed Hassib Zamil, an education official, outside the Education Ministry offices.