The U.S. military says seven U.S. Marines have been killed in action in western Iraq.

A spokesman says six of the troops were killed Monday in the town of Haditha, near the Syrian border, but he did not give details.

The seventh Marine also died on Monday, in a car bomb blast in Hit, about 70 kilometers southeast of Haditha.

Earlier this week, the U.S. military reported killing 11 insurgents during fighting in Haditha.

Elsewhere, Iraqi police say some civilians were killed when a car bomb targeting a U.S. military convoy exploded Tuesday in central Baghdad.

More than 20 people were also wounded in the explosion. There were no reports of U.S. casualties.

Also in Baghdad, Iraqi police say gunmen killed the head of the Abu Ghraib police station, Mizhir Hamad Yousi. His driver was wounded in the attack.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.