U.S. occupation forces battled armed men holed up in houses and driving explosives-laden vehicles in a second town near the Syrian border, killing 28, the American military said. The U.S. operation in the Syrian border region is the fourth since May.
Meanwhile, al-Qaeda in Iraq claimed to have executed two Marines seized during the fighting. The U.S. military said the claim on the kidnap of the Marines appeared to be "baseless."
In a related development, a US soldier died of wounds suffered in central Iraq, the military announced Monday. The soldier was hit by indirect fire Saturday in Ramadi, the military said.
Also on Monday, gunmen opened fire on a convoy carrying Iraq's oil minister, killing two of his bodyguards, police said, according to the AP.
Ibrahim Bahr was not hurt in the attack, which occurred at 9:30 a.m. in western Baghdad, said police Lt. Mohammed Kheyon. A third bodyguard was injured.
In the northern city of Mosul, a drive-by shooting killed Nafi'a Aziz, a female member of Ninevah's provincial council, and her son, said police spokesman Brig.
