A suicide car bomb has killed 17 people and wounded 35 others in a market in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar.

Earlier this year, President Bush used Tal Afar as an example of progress being made in fighting the insurgency.

Elsewhere in Iraq Tuesday, at least five people were killed, including a member of the Iraqi Islamic party, a major political faction. At least 12 bodies were found, including a 10-year-old boy and the decapitated bodies of three Iraqi soldiers.

Nouri al-Maliki

The violence comes as Prime Minister-designate Nouri al-Maliki works to complete formation of a national unity government.

Speaking Tuesday, Mr. Maliki said the top Cabinet positions already have been filled, based on nominations by Iraq's Shi'ite, Sunni Arab, and Kurdish power blocs.

Mr. Maliki did not name his ministerial choices. He said he expects to seek parliament's approval for his cabinet later this week.

U.S. officials say a national unity government in Iraq is key to stemming bloodshed and averting a possible civil war.

In other news, the U.S. military says an American soldier died on Monday in a bombing in Baghdad.