AP Dozens killed in Iraq; 8 U.S. troops die [View All]

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060828/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=AiCyTz4NmtdA_FUlL7zCan.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OTB1amhuBHNlYwNtdHM-
Dozens killed in Iraq; 8 U.S. troops die

By ELENA BECATOROS, Associated Press Writer 10 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Violence in Iraq left nearly 50 people dead Monday in a suicide car bombing and clashes between Shiite militia and Iraqi security forces, a brutal contradiction of the prime minister's claim that bloodshed was decreasing.


The deaths followed a day of bombings and shootings on Sunday, when more than 60 people were killed across the country, from the northern city of Kirkuk to the capital Baghdad and down to the south in Basra. The dead included eight American soldiers, one of the deadliest weekends for the U.S. military in recent months.

In the city of Diwaniyah, gunbattles between Iraqi forces and militiamen of the Mahdi Army loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr left at least 34 people dead and about 70 wounded, Iraqi officials said.

The fighting broke out late Sunday night when Iraqi soldiers conducted raids in three neighborhoods to flush out the militiamen and seize weapons, said army Capt. Fatik Aied.

He said the fighting continued Monday.