Death Toll Rises In Iraq Blast Amid Intense Fighting

5 August 2004 -- The reported death toll has risen to nine, with at least 20 others injured, from an attack on a police station south of the capital Baghdad by gunmen and a suicide bomber. The attack took place in the city of Mawahil.
In the central Iraqi holy city of Al-Najaf, three people were killed in heavy fighting between U.S. troops and militiamen loyal to Shi'a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

A U.S. helicopters was downed in the fighting, wounding several crew members.

Iraqi police arrested seven foreign insurgents today suspected of involvement in battles with U.S. forces in Mosul the previous day.

The suspects came from Arab and other predominantly Muslim countries.

The northern Iraqi city of Mosul was quiet after fighting yesterday killed at least 22 people, including 14 civilians.

(RFE/RL with agency reports)