At least 17 American troops have been killed around Iraq since Saturday, including eight in a single day in Baghdad, the US military announced, saying the toll had brought "a tragic day".
Monday saw four soldiers killed when their vehicle was obliterated by a roadside bomb in northwest Baghdad, as well as four soldiers killed by small arms fire in various other spots throughout the city.
Seven of the other US casualties since Saturday have been in the western Al-Anbar province, the AFP reported.
Meanwhile, the verdict in the first trial of Saddam Hussein for crimes against humanity will not be issued as expected on October 16, the chief prosecutor has said. The session on that date will instead see the presentation of more defense arguments, prosecutor Jaafar al-Mussawi told AFP Tuesday.
Saddam and seven co-defendants, including his half brother Barzan al-Tikriti, are on trial for a crackdown on a Shiite town of Dujail following an assassination attempt in 1982.
