The U.S. military in Iraq says American troops have detained six suspects in connection with last week's assassination of Baghdad provincial governor Ali al-Haidari.

Acting on a tip from residents, soldiers seized the suspects early Tuesday in a house in the same western Baghdad neighborhood where the governor was gunned down.

Meanwhile, near the northern city of Mosul, two Iraqi National Guards were killed and two wounded in a car bomb attack Wednesday.  A similar attack in the area Tuesday killed three other guardsmen.

Iraqi officials, police and national guards have been prime targets of insurgents who are seeking to further destabilize the country before the January 30 elections.  Despite the violence, interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and President Bush have said the vote for a national assembly must go ahead.