Attacks kill 7, wound dozens in Iraq
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BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A car bomb attack on an Army combat patrol killed seven Iraqi civilians Tuesday in the northern Iraqi city of Baiji, a military spokesman said.
The blast wounded 19 people, including two U.S. soldiers. Military officials believe the vehicle's driver also was killed.
In another part of the city, insurgents attacked a U.S. tank with a rocket-propelled grenade.
In western Baghdad, a car bomb attack on a U.S. military convoy wounded five soldiers Tuesday morning on the road leading to Baghdad International Airport.
Authorities closed the road for several hours to investigate the attack.
Marines: Iraqis control Najaf
Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces formally assumed control of the city of Najaf, the scene of heavy fighting during the summer, a U.S. Marine commander said.
There have been no major incidents in the city since the fighting ended there August 28, despite a reduced Marine presence in the city, authorities said.
A statement issued Tuesday by Task Force Olympia, Multinational Brigade, said that Iraqi security forces "have demonstrated their ability to respond and take control of threats to the province's stability, as well as plan, direct and conduct limited security operations."
It said that Iraqi authorities had conducted several successful raids using intelligence they had compiled on their own.
Officials said Marine forces would continue to train and equip the Iraqi authorities, and conduct some security patrols in Najaf.
Meanwhile, authorities said Tuesday that 14 suspected insurgents were rounded up south of Baghdad on Monday as efforts to quell insurgent activity in northern Babil province continued for a seventh day. Three arms caches were also discovered.
Four suspects, including two considered to be "high-interest individuals," were captured by an Iraqi SWAT team and elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in a raid near Iskandariyah. A separate raid just to the north netted three more suspects.
Near Yusufiyah, Marines detained seven more suspected insurgents and turned up a large weapons stockpile, officials said.
The raids were conducted as part of Operation Plymouth Rock, aimed at rooting out insurgents in Babil province. So far, officials said, 195 suspected insurgents have been detained.
Another nine suspected insurgents were detained Monday during operations in Tal Afar, U.S. military officials said on Tuesday. Three of those were captured after soldiers from the Iraqi National Guard came under small-arms fire and forced the suspected insurgents to flee into a nearby building. The three were found during a search of the building. Six others were captured during "cordon and search" operations. The nine were undergoing questioning, U.S. military officials said.
