Iraqi authorities say bomb attacks have killed more than 20 people in northern Iraq and Baghdad - as violence increases after a relative lull.
A suicide car bomber killed at least 10 people and wounded about 10 others in an attack against a tribal leader near the town of Sinjar. Tribal leader Sheikh Kanan al-Juharimur was wounded in the attack.
Two car bombs targeting police killed seven people in the town of Shurqat, while bombings in the city of Mosul killed four people.
In Baghdad, two car bombs killed at least three people.
U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad Major General Kevin Bergner acknowledged that there has been an upturn in violence in recent days, but he said U.S. and Iraqi forces are trying to keep the pressure on extremist networks.
Bergner said Iraqi forces showed growing skill in a joint raid with U.S. troops on the Rustamiyah military academy Tuesday. The troops detained employees in connection with the death of the school's former commander and a kidnapping.
In other developments, the U.S. military said coalition forces killed three suspected al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists and detained eight others during operations in central and northern Iraq Wednesday.
The military also said an American soldier was killed by small-arms fire while on combat duty Tuesday in Baghdad.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
