■ Iraq
Insurgents using new bombs
Insurgents in Iraq have reached a new level of military sophistication by developing a bomb which penetrates heavily armoured vehicles, US commanders have admitted. Recent roadside bombs have used a "shaped" charge which concentrates the blast, devastating some of the most heavily protected Humvees. Insurgents have also developed a way to detonate bombs with infrared lasers rather than mobile phones, which can be jammed. The refinements have fueled a surge in US casualties, with roadside bombs alone responsible for at least 68 deaths since May, the highest toll over a two-month period since the guerrilla war began two years ago. A shaped charge was believed responsible for last week's attack in Ramadi, which was so powerful it melted a Humvee and showered the remains of five Marines onto rooftops.
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