U.S. Forces Reportedly Kill 17 Insurgents In Iraq

Scene of October 28 bombing in Al-Sadr City, Baghdad (epa) October 29, 2006 -- U.S. forces in Iraq say they have thwarted two ambushes, shot dead 17 insurgents, and detained three suspected militants during an operation.

A statement says the violence occurred early today near Balad, north of Baghdad. No soldiers were reported injured. The town was the center of recent, deadly clashes between Shi'ite and Sunni factions.

In Ba'qubah, north of Baghdad, two police officers were killed by gunmen at a city junction. And in Al-Diwaniyah, south of the capital, gunmen shot dead a translator working for U.S. forces on October 28.

In Baghdad today, gunmen opened fire on a government car, wounding a bodyguard of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Al-Maliki was not in the car at the time of the attack.

Also in Baghdad, police found the bodies of an Iraqi state television presenter and her driver who had been abducted by gunmen.

On October 28, U.S. President George W. Bush and al-Maliki agreed to accelerate efforts to build up Iraqi security forces.

After Bush and al-Maliki spoke during a teleconference, the White House said there were "no strains" in the relationship between Washington and Baghdad.

(AFP, dpa, Reuters, AFP)