Officials in Iraq say U.S. air strikes in Baghdad's Sadr City district killed at least six people and wounded 10 others, as U.S. forces battled Shi'ite militias for a fifth straight day.
In two separate incidents Thursday and late Wednesday, U.S. military helicopters fired missiles at targets in the Iraqi capital. At least one operation was in response to an attack on U.S. troops.
Wednesday marked the fifth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad to U.S. forces. Earlier in the day, at least 22 people were killed, including at least three children. The U.S. military says six soldiers also were killed Wednesday, raising the toll to at least 17 since Sunday.
Sadr City has been the scene of increased fighting between U.S. forces and militants loyal to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
Fighting has intensified in Iraq since Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered a crackdown on Shi'ite militias last month.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
