Iraqi police say six people have died during a gunbattle between insurgents and U.S. forces in the northern city of Mosul.

Police say insurgents attacked a U.S. military patrol near a checkpoint in Mosul.  American forces returned fire and six people, including at least two bystanders, were killed during the battle.  The U.S. military had no immediate comment on the incident.

This violence comes as tens of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims are traveling to Iraq's central city, Karbala, for Thursday's solemn Al-Arbaeen religious holiday.

In Baghdad, no new developments were reported after Tuesday's chaotic national assembly session where lawmakers failed to agree on a parliament speaker.

Some information for this report provided by AP.