US troops break chain to search house during patrol in Amariyah neighborhood in west Baghdad, 31 Jul 2007

The U.S. military in Iraq says coalition forces have detained nine suspected al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists during operations in central and northern regions of the country.

A military statement said the suspects were detained Tuesday and Monday in raids in Baghdad, areas west of the capital, the northern city of Mosul and in an area southwest of Taji.

Monday, International aid organization Oxfam said a major humanitarian crisis is looming in Iraq, with some eight million people in need of emergency aid.

In its report, the group said malnutrition and drinking water shortages are worse today than before the 2003 invasion. It says 28 percent of Iraqi children are malnourished and 70 percent of Iraqis lack clean drinking water - nearly 50 percent more than before the war.

The group recommends Iraq's government double direct aid to widows and children to 200 dollars per month and improve the distribution of food rations.

In Baghdad Monday, Iraq's parliament adjourned for its summer recess until September 4.

Separately, the U.S. military Tuesday, announced the death of a Marine, who died in combat in al-Anbar province on Monday.

Also on Monday, a quarterly audit by the U.S. office that monitors reconstruction spending in Iraq says progress is being hampered by terrorist activity, high levels of corruption, and political instability.

The Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction says that in three out of four reviews conducted this quarter, projects were not being properly carried out, posing threats to the condition of the facilities and to health and safety.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.