A bomber has blown up his car at a checkpoint in Ramadi, killing 11 Iraqi special police commandos and wounding 25 other people, the US military said on Friday.

The Thursday evening blast wounded nine Iraqi security-force members and three civilians, and two US soldiers, US Marine Captain Jeffrey Pool said.

The US 2nd Marine Division said the bomber blew himself up at a checkpoint in the east of the city, which lies 110km west of Baghdad.

Checkpoints were established at entrances to the city last month to try to crack down on guerrillas who have a strong presence there.

Over the past few months, car bombers have increasingly targeted checkpoints manned by US and Iraqi forces.

US commanders say this shows fighters are finding it harder to attack targets such as police stations and military bases.

Translators killed

In an eastern Baghdad neighborhood, unidentified attackers killed five female translators working for the US military late Thursday, said police Captain Ahmed Aboud.

The translators "were heading home when gunmen driving two cars sprayed them with machine-gun fire," said Aboud on Friday. Further details were not immediately available.

Fighters routinely target US forces and their perceived collaborators as well as members of Iraq's government and army and police forces.

The US military says better control must be gained of the strife-torn country before any major US troop withdrawal.

PHOTO CAPTION

A U.S. Marine with his dog in Iraqi city of al-Ramadi March 6, 2005. (REUTERS)