- MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Five
U.S. soldiers were killed in separate guerrilla attacks in Iraq, the U.S.
military said Friday, three in or near the northern city of Mosul, one
north of Baghdad and the fifth south of the capital.
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- The deaths brought to 1,119 the number of U.S. troops
killed in action since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
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- In the latest incident Friday, one soldier was killed
and two were wounded when a roadside bomb exploded near a U.S. military
base north of the town of Diwaniya, about 180 km (110 miles) south of Baghdad,
the military said.
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- Earlier Friday, a soldier was killed and two were wounded
in a car bomb blast about 40 km (25 miles) north of the capital, the military
said in a statement.
-
- The other incidents happened Thursday. In the first,
a car bomb exploded next to a U.S. army patrol in Mosul, killing one soldier
and wounding three.
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- Another soldier was shot dead in an exchange of fire
with guerrillas in Mosul. In addition, a roadside bomb killed a soldier
and wounded another in an attack near Tal Afar, about 60 km (40 miles)
west of Mosul.
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- U.S. troops have been battling to keep order in Mosul,
where an insurgency broke out in November when almost the entire police
force in Iraq's third largest city deserted.
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- The 8,000-strong U.S. force in Mosul has said it is steadily
returning stability to the city.
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- Thursday, a resident tipped off U.S. troops to the presence
of six roadside bombs and the devices were defused, the military said.
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