Mother sits in local hospital with her two young boys wounded in Samarra suicide car bomb blast, Monday

Iraqi police say a suicide truck bomber drove into a police station north of Baghdad, killing nine security personnel and wounding at least 18 civilians.

The truck, loaded with explosives, rammed into the regional police headquarters in Samarra Monday.

At least 18 people were killed in violence elsewhere in Iraq.

The U.S. military says an airstrike killed four insurgents planting roadside bombs in western Yusufiyah province Monday.

Iraqi woman walks past  burned vehicle after  gunbattle in Sadr City,  Monday

In other violence, police say insurgents attacked an Iraqi army checkpoint near Baquba, killing six soldiers. Police say Iraqi troops returned fire, killing one insurgent. Also Monday, gunmen traveling in cars opened fire on a barbershop in Baghdad, killing five people.

Before dawn, U.S. and Iraqi forces raided a Shi'ite militia stronghold in Baghdad, sparking a gun battle with militants that killed at least two people. The U.S. military says the raid in Sadr City was to catch extremists involved in torture cells and revenge attacks.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.