Soldiers escort suspected insurgents in an Iraqi army camp in Baquba [File photo].
Last Update: Sunday, October 8, 2006. 8:00pm (AEST)

20 militiamen killed in clashes in southern Iraq

Fierce clashes erupted between Shiite militiamen and US forces in the southern Iraqi city of Diwaniya, the military says, leaving at least 20 militiamen dead.

Fighting broke out overnight and continued into Sunday, an AFP reporter in the city said, as a joint force of Iraqi army and US-led troops fought street battles with the Shiite Mahdi Army militia.

"There was an attack last night in Diwaniyah in which three rocket-propelled grenade teams attacked Multinational Division Baghdad (MND-B) soldiers who were conducting combat operations," a US statement said.

"Iraqi army and MND-B soldiers engaged and killed 20 terrorists during the fighting. There were no reported injuries for coalition forces," it said.

A spokesman for the military also said a state-of-the-art battle tank was destroyed.

"Our reports currently indicate that a CF (coalition forces) tank was destroyed during clashes last night with insurgents. The tank destroyed was a M1A2 second generation Abrams."

The Abrams is the most heavily armoured vehicle used by US forces in Iraq.

Any attack capable of putting one out of service will worry US commanders, who suspect Iranian anti-tank weapons are being smuggled to Shiite fighters.

An Iraqi army spokesman said militia had provoked the battle by attacking US and Iraqi forces.

Medics at Diwaniyah's main hospital showed AFP seven civilians who had been wounded in the fighting.

Witnesses reported widespread clashes throughout the city.

The streets were filled with military vehicles while helicopters patrolled overhead, they said.

A curfew has now been imposed throughout the city.

- AFP