Thanks to a tip from Bernhard:

Insurgents hit a bridge north of Baghdad on Tuesday, using a suicide bomber at the wheel of an oil tanker truck to destroy the span, plunging cars and people into the canal waters below. Ten people are reported dead and six more missing.

The Thiraa Dijla bridge in Taji links Baghdad to Mosul, and was reportedly a strategic asset to the US, which relied on it for supply transport.

The bridge was damaged by a previous attack in May and was only operating with one of its lanes when Tuesday's suicide bomber attacked.

The attacker detonated his payload after going through an Iraqi army checkpoint about 40 yards away from the span, according to the AP.

"The blast, that took place in the middle of the bridge, caused a part of the bridge to collapse," a police source told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

"The explosion set a number of nearby vehicles ablaze," he also said.

The area was cordoned off by Iraqi and US security forces as rescue operations began. The New York Times reports US troops and divers were recovering bodies from the water soon after the explosion.

From the general description in this news article the bridge will be in this area:

Mosul is all the way north, towards the Iraq/Turkey border, as can be seen from this 2003 CIA map:

But still, though the article says it’s a strategic supply link, there are other routes available, and of course we still have quite a lot of air assets over there to supply outflung posts if necessary.

A while back MNF-I had a sort of test-run, I suppose you’d call it:

Iraqi Air Force delivers water, displays proficiency 13th SC(E), LSA ANACONDA PAO

CAMP ADDER, Iraq – Iraqi soldiers got a big boost in national pride and confidence Monday as they watched an Iraqi Air Force C-130 deliver fresh water to Camp Delta.

The fledgling Iraqi Air Force conducted this, its first logistical operation, to provide fresh bottled drinking water while keeping convoys off the uncertain roads.

The aircraft delivered the equivalent of roughly five truck loads of palletized water. This means keeping those trucks and the necessary security trucks that would accompany them off the roadway, said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Drushal, support operations officer in charge for the 82nd Sustainment Brigade.

This was a coalition effort. When the Iraqi cargo plane landed at Camp Delta, it was directed to a safe landing by Polish air control operators.

Even if they can't get the hamburgers and chicken breasts through for the Burger Kings and KFC's they'll still get water up there. But the majority of our logistics is still road-bound in massive convoys that can stretch out for a mile, according to some sources. I discussed some of the supply difficulties here, noting that we’re supporting one heck of a non-military overhead.

if the road supply routes were interrupted for some reason (violence being the most obvious) more than water would become scarce. Fresh food would quickly disappear. Most of the larger US bases look like a suburban mall, with Wendy’s or Burger Kings, Kentucky Fried Chicken stores, and even ice cream outlets. Much the same fare is available in the official mess halls, operated by KBR, a division of Mr Cheney’s Halliburton. I certainly don’t begrudge the troops anything, but this sort of home-style sustainment has a portion of the $12 Billion we’re spending each month. These little bits of home are operated and supplied by contractors and our grandchildren will be footing the bill when the Japanese and Chinese ask for payment. The troops could get along on MREs but it wouldn’t quite be the same. Say what you will about MREs, they do provide a balanced, if unexciting diet. The right calories to sustain a soldier in the field, low fat and high protein.

Wikipedia has a nice selection of historical information about Camp Taji for military buffs. Key points:

Camp Taji is now known as one of many United States camps that also house members of the new Iraqi Army and the Iraqi National Guard. Camp Taji is broken up between two Camps that are joined by a joint Iraqi/US gate. The Iraqi side called Camp Tadji is where the Iraqi troops, as well as the Transition Teams live. There is great controversy over the fact that the camp is divided, between "US and them". Much has been written on the subject, but with a simple look at the two camps one can see that there is a great difference in the quality of life on the two sides of the camp. [1]

In September 2004, Camp Taji reportedly boasted the largest PX facilities in Iraq, with Subway, Burger King and Pizza Hut franchises.[2] Although the PX facility is large, it remains poorly stocked in comparison to Baghdad and Balad due to supply issues. Of some 106 bases used by the United States in Iraq, Camp Taji is considered one of 14 "enduring" bases.[3]

The area immediately to the north along the main supply route to Camp Anaconda, an airbase outside of the city of Balad, is now referred to "ambush alley" or "Sudden Death". IED attacks, small arms fire and complex attacks on convoys and patrols remain an almost nightly occurrence.

We’re still in great shape over there. No need to worry as more and more bridges come down. We’ve got al Qaeda on the run.

The War of the Bridges series

The Bridges of Iraq

The War of the Bridges

Another Bridge Attack

Baghdad Bridges Falling Down

The Daily Bridge Attack

Balad Bridge

Pitrokimiwiat Bridge

Thiraa Dilja Bridge