Nine killed in Iraq violence

The US military announces the death of two more soldiers amid unrelenting violence.

Car bombing in Baghdad
Thousands have been killed by roadside bombsacross Iraq [AFP]

In Diwaniyah, 130km south of the capital, gunmen killed Akeel al-Khalidi, a defence ministry employee, as he left his house for work, a police officer said.

 

A Shia cleric and his son were killed in Mahaweel, about 56km south of Baghdad, as they were heading towards a Shia shrine.

 

US toll

 

Two more US soldiers have died in separate incidents in Baghdad and western Iraq, the US military said on Sunday.

 

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One soldier died on Saturday from small arms fire in a southwestern section of Baghdad, the military said in a statement. Another soldier died on Friday from combat wounds sustained in Iraq‘s volatile western Anbar province.

 

Both names were withheld pending family notification.

 

Raids

 
US and Iraqi troops meanwhile have released 69 of the 88 people captured on suspicion of planting roadside bombs in raids last week, the US military has said.
 
The operations took place last week but were reported on Sunday by the US military. The forces also destroyed a bomb-making facility during the raids.
 

Iraqi troops backed by US forces searched 33 homes and detained 82 people on Tuesday near Youssifiyah, 20km south of Baghdad, the US military said in a statement.

 
Two more suspects were detained on Thursday near Mahmoudiyah, 32km south of the Iraqi capital, another statement said.

 

Those who remain in custody are accused of planting roadside bombs.

Source: News Agencies