Gunmen on Monday attacked an Iraqi army checkpoint in Khalis, 50 miles north of Baghdad, killing seven soldiers, battalion commander Col. Abdullah al-Shimmari said, according to The AP. About 90 minutes later, a car bomb along the side of a road went off as an Iraqi army patrol passed, killing two troops, al-Shimmari said.
Also Monday, American forces killed 10 "insurgents" Monday in northern Iraq. A U.S. statement said the incident took place in Tal Afar, 260 miles north of Baghdad.
Two U.S. Marines were killed Sunday by "indirect fire" in Hit along the Syrian border, the U.S. command stated.
In another development, Iraqi authorities said they were investigating the deaths of nine bricklayers, detained Sunday on suspicion of links to "insurgents," who suffocated to death while held in a police van in Baghdad.
Meanwhile, the Australian government Monday said it had not discussed taking over military command in southern Iraq from Britain. The Sunday Times newspaper reported Australia and Britain were already in talks for a handover, while Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper said London and the Washington were planning to halve troop levels in Iraq by mid-2006.
"There haven't been any discussions between the Australian government or Australian defense officials about that and it was frankly news to me," Australian PM John Howard told reporters in Sydney. "The story in the London Sunday Times is not based on any discussions of which I have any knowledge," he said.
