The U.S. military in Iraq says it killed seven al-Qaida-linked insurgents in an airstrike today (Monday) near Baquba.
The military says those killed had ties to senior al-Qaida leaders and worked to help foreign fighters in the restive area. Three other insurgents were wounded in the raid.
Major General William Caldwell says two boys -- aged six months and four years -- were killed in the strike. He called their deaths extremely unfortunate. He says the children were with insurgents who were shooting at U.S. forces at the time of the strike.
A third child was wounded and evacuated for medical treatment.
The raid is the latest since a U.S. airstrike killed the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, near Baquba last week.
In Baghdad today (Monday), Iraqi police say a roadside bomb killed at least six people