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US military kill 13 in Iraq raid Scores of bodies found in Baghdad
(about 1 hour later)
The United States military says it has killed 13 insurgents in a raid on a house in the town of Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad. Baghdad police say they have found 56 bodies, some showing signs of torture, in various locations around the city in the past 24 hours.
Air and ground forces were involved in the attack, which the US said targeted a suspected al-Qaeda operative. Correspondents say many were probably victims of sectarian attacks, while others could have been targeted by criminal gangs seeking ransoms.
The attack came as the US military announced the deaths of five more soldiers in Iraq. Earlier the US military says it had killed 13 insurgents in a raid in the town of Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad.
The Iraqi leader's office, meanwhile, said US intelligence chief John Negroponte was in Baghdad for talks. The attack came as the US announced the deaths of five more soldiers in Iraq.
No other details were immediately available of the talks between Mr Negroponte and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki. The discovery of the 56 bodies in Baghdad is the highest daily figure since the Muslim holy month of Ramadan ended.
Weapons found The dead were all men, estimated to be aged between 20 and 45, police Lt Mohammed Khayon told the Associated Press.
The raid in Mahmoudiya, 30km (20 miles) south of Baghdad, came after intelligence suggested an al-Qaeda-linked suspect was hiding in a house, the US military said. They were all dressed in civilian clothing and found with their hands and feet bound, Lt Khayon added, saying that none of the men had yet been identified.
US talks
The raid in Mahmoudiya, 30km (20 miles) south of Baghdad, which involved both air and ground forces, came after intelligence suggested an al-Qaeda-linked suspect was hiding in a house, the US military said.
Five people were killed inside the building, including a man wearing an explosive vest, and eight were killed as they fled the area.Five people were killed inside the building, including a man wearing an explosive vest, and eight were killed as they fled the area.
Explosives and hand grenades were found in a search of the area, the statement said.Explosives and hand grenades were found in a search of the area, the statement said.
Relative calm was reported in Baghdad on Friday, where a four-hour vehicle ban was in place for Friday prayers.
Full month-by-month figuresFull month-by-month figures
A US military spokesman said on Thursday that the number of sectarian killings had fallen since a surge during Ramadan, but he said it was too early to call it a trend. US casualties have continued to rise in Iraq, following the deaths of more than 100 troops in October in one of the US' bloodiest months in Iraq.
But US casualties continued to rise, following the deaths of more than 100 troops in October in one of the US' bloodiest months in Iraq.
Three soldiers were killed on Thursday in Baghdad when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.Three soldiers were killed on Thursday in Baghdad when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.
The same day, a soldier was killed in the western Anbar province and another soldier died "due to non-combat causes", the US military statement said.The same day, a soldier was killed in the western Anbar province and another soldier died "due to non-combat causes", the US military statement said.
The Iraqi leader's office, meanwhile, said US intelligence chief John Negroponte was in Baghdad for talks.
No other details were immediately available of the talks between Mr Negroponte and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.