Iraqi Army soldier guards two suspected militiamen detained in a security crackdown, 20 Jun 2008

U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq say they have killed four suspected members of al-Qaida-in-Iraq in operations overnight north of Baghdad.

A military statement issued Friday says coalition forces conducted a series of operations in Balad, north of the Iraqi capital, targeting the group's bombing networks.  Sixteen other suspects were detained.

Separately, the U.S. military says three roadside bombings struck a military patrol today in Diyala province, killing an American soldier and wounding five others.  The military did not provide the wounded men's nationalities.

In Baghdad, coalition forces say they captured two suspects, including a man believed to be a key leader in the al-Qaida-in-Iraq media network.

On Thursday, Iraqi security forces arrested the mayor of the southern city of Amarah as they began a new crackdown on Shi'ite militias.

The mayor, Rafia Abdul-Jabbar, is a supporter of Shi'i'te cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.  He was among 17 people detained by Iraqi forces on the first day of the crackdown in Amarah.

Sadr's aides complained that Iraqi forces were carrying out what they called "random" raids.  The aides reiterated their support for Baghdad's efforts to impose order in the city, provided that security forces act within the law. 

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