American soldiers killed eight suspected Iraqi insurgents after coming under fire on a country road in central Iraq, a hotbed of anti-US activity, a military spokeswoman said today.
The soldiers were on a vehicle patrol in an area south-west of Samarra yesterday when eight cars drove past and opened fire, spokeswoman Major Josslyn Aberle said.
She said the Americans returned fire, killing eight people, wounding one and destroying two vehicles.
The remaining six cars were seized and their 26 occupants arrested, she said.
Aberle said a large weapons cache was also discovered Samarra.
