The US said it killed dozens of insurgents on the first two days of a major operation north of Baghdad.

Elsewhere at least 15 people died and 40 others were hurt in a suicide truck bomb attack in northern Iraq. The casualties included several women and children, hospital officials said.

In the worst incident, five soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in north-eastern Baghdad on Thursday. That attack also killed three Iraqi civilians and an Iraqi interpreter, the US said.

Four died in another bomb attack in the west of the city on Wednesday, with three others killed in two more strikes. Two more soldiers were killed by a bomb in the western province of Anbar.

The US military says at least 41 insurgents have been killed in the first two days of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, but local officials say there have also been civilian deaths.

Operations have also been launched against Sunni militants south of Baghdad.

Troops reportedly destroyed 17 boats believed to have been used by insurgents along the River Tigris and detained at least 60 people.