At least five Iraqi policemen were killed car bomb explosions near Iraq's Interior Ministry in Baghdad Thursday.

Police say at least five other policemen were wounded in the blasts that took place at a security checkpoint just outside the ministry.

Wednesday, 13 Iraqi soldiers were killed in two separate car bombings at an army base and a military checkpoint in Baghdad.

Terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group posted a message on the Internet, claiming responsibility for the bombing at the army base.

Separately, one American soldier was killed in action Wednesday in Babil province, south of Baghdad.

Meanwhile, senior Shi'ite and Kurdish political leaders ended two days of meetings in their effort to form a new government. There was no official announcement after the talks in Erbil.

The Shi'ite-led United Iraqi Alliance, which has won 140 seats in the 275-member interim National Assembly, is hoping to win support from Kurdish political parties that control 75 seats.