17 U.S. troops killed in last 3 days in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq — At least 17 American military personnel were killed in gunbattles or roadside bombings in Iraq over a three-day period, including eight soldiers killed Monday in Baghdad, the U.S. command announced.

Most of the deaths occurred in Baghdad or Anbar province. The eight deaths in Baghdad were the most in the capital in a day since July 2005.

As of Tuesday, at least 2,730 members of the U.S. military have died from all causes since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 2,163 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.

In other developments:

Iraqi authorities have taken a brigade of up to 700 policemen out of service and put members under investigation for "possible complicity" with death squads following a mass kidnapping earlier this week, the U.S. military said today.

http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/oct/04/17-us-troops-killed-3-days/