By DPA
Baghdad : Eighteen gunmen belonging to the Al Qaeda network in Iraq have been killed and 62 detained in joint Iraqi-US operations in the eastern region of Baquba, a media spokesman said Monday.
The joint forces also freed four families abducted by gunmen in Samoud village, north of Balad Roz in Diyala province, senior officer Ragheb al-Ma'mouri said in press statements.
More than 10,000 Iraqi and US troops have been mounting a massive security operation, codenamed Arrowhead Ripper, against armed groups in Diyala province, 57 km northeast of the Iraqi capital.
In another development, at least 10 Iraqis, including two policemen, were killed and 15 wounded Monday in two consecutive blasts in central Baghdad, Iraq News Agency (INA) reported.
The first explosion resulted from a remote-controlled car bomb parked near the civil affairs department in the neighbourhood of Karrada, the Independent Voices of Iraq news agency said, citing a security source.
The second explosion, according to INA, occurred close to Karrada market. Karrada district has lately been the scene of many attacks.
Meanwhile, a US soldier was killed when an explosive went off next to his vehicle during combat operations in Baghdad Saturday, the US military in Iraq reported Monday.