(SomaliNet) Police officials said at least nine Iraqi civilians were killed and 26 wounded when a car bomb aimed at a US patrol went off on Thursday. According to news sources, the explosion occurred just after 9am in a busy commercial area in eastern Baghdad. Three women and child were among the civilians killed. In a separate incident, seventeen militants were also killed by US troops killed 17 militants as violence escalated in Sadr city. One US soldier was also killed bringing the military death toll to 50. Further clashes in Sadr City also left eight people, including two women and a child, dead and wounded 18 others, including women and children.