BAGHDAD - An Iraqi army officer says a suicide bomber walked into a base west of Baghdad and set off his explosives belt, killing 15 Iraqi soldiers and wounding at least 40.

The officer says the attack Thursday occurred at the joint base shared by Iraqi soldiers and U.S. troops in Habbaniyah about 45 miles (70 kilometers) west of Baghdad.

He says the bomber walked up to a group of soldiers headed for a base canteen and then detonated his explosives. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not allowed to release the information.

It's not immediately clear if there were any U.S. soldiers at or near the gathering.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)