A vicious battle between Iraqi police and insurgents in the killing fields north of Baghdad left at least 12 officers and 19 rebels dead, the interior ministry said Friday, revising an earlier toll.
Brigadier General Abdel Karim Khalaf said Thursday's pre-dawn clash near the restive town of Baquba began when insurgents ambushed a police squad responding to an intelligence report of a rebel hideout.
"The clashes took place over an area 25 kilometres (15 miles) long. All nearby police units were involved, including the rapid response squad," the ministry spokesman told AFP.
"Nineteen terrorists were killed and 28 others were arrested. We lost 12 martyrs including the town of Khan Bani Saad's police chief, Colonel Abbas Al-Ameri Tamimi," he said. "We had 18 policemen injured, then we managed to secure the region. The situation is stable now," he said. Police also raided a Baquba hospital to arrest two wounded insurgents, he added.
Thursday's battle erupted near the village of Ibn Khaldun, west of Baquba and 40 kilometres (24 miles) north of Baghdad, in an area of Diyala province notorious for rebel violence and brutal sectarian warfare.
Over the past week Diyala police have been drawn into a fierce conflict with suspected Sunni insurgents, who killed 17 unarmed Shiite police trainees in an ambush Sunday and kidnapped several more.