The U.S. military says coalition forces have captured a senior militia extremist and killed two others during operations in Diyala province north of Baghdad.

The military says the operation early Saturday targeted a splinter group leader who was not honoring a pledge by radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to cease attacks, and who had ties to an Iranian intelligence cell.

A statement says 14 suspected militants were detained during the operation.

Also north of Baghdad, near Balad, the U.S. military says coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to belong to a foreign terrorist network that channels extremists into Iraq.

The military also announced the death of a soldier killed by small arms fire during operations in Salahuddin province, north of the capital.

Meanwhile, Iraqi police say a bomb blast has killed eight people and wounded 13 in an area southeast of Baghdad. Officials say two policemen were among those wounded in the blast, which targeted an area of restaurants.

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