Mar 12, 2007 The U.S. military said Monday five of its soldiers were killed and two others were injured in separate incidents in Iraq on Sunday.
Three of the deaths were not combat-related, Kuwait's KUNA news agency reported.
In Baghdad, gunmen opened fire on the motorcade of Iraq's minister of agriculture, killing one of his bodyguards and injuring another, CNN reported.
Security officials said 21 bodies had been found scattered around the city on Sunday, most of which showed signs of torture.
Sectarian fighting between Shiite and Sunni Muslims has plagued the Iraqi government's attempts at reconstruction for more than 14 months.
About 60 miles from Baghdad in Muqdadiya, a New York Times correspondent said sectarian fighting turned to arson during the weekend. As many as 100 homes and other buildings were torched, the report said.
Victims from both sects blamed Sunni extremists who have taken over several towns in the area and are demanding protection money, the report said. (c) UPI