Thousands of American troops are combing areas north and south of Baghdad as U.S. forces intensify operations against al-Qaida in Iraq and allied militants.
The U.S. military says it has killed 41 insurgents and seized large quantities of weapons during operations in Diyala province, an al-Qaida stronghold northeast of Baghdad.
The military says another five insurgents were killed and 62 suspects detained in a simultaneous offensive southeast of the city in the Arab Jabour area. It also says forces destroyed 17 boats on the Tigris River used to transport explosive materials into Baghdad.
A military statement says two U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday in a roadside bombing southwest of Baghdad.
Separately, the U.S. military says American and Iraqi soldiers discovered an orphanage this month housing 24 severely malnourished and abused boys in a Baghdad neighborhood.
The boys, ages 3 to 15 years old, were found naked in a darkened room, with many tied to their beds.
Meanwhile, the death toll from Tuesday's truck bombing outside a Shi'ite mosque in Baghdad rose to 87. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki blamed the attack on Sunni extremists.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
