US troops killed eight suspected insurgents and captured 26 - including an alleged Shiite militia leader - in two days of raids across Iraq, the US military said Friday. The eight were killed Thursday and Friday in separate raids targeting al-Qaida in Iraq across the country's central and northern regions, the military said. At least 22 others were killed in the operations, it said. The militia leader was detained along with three other suspects late Thursday in the Mashru area south of Baghdad, a US statement said.
The military said the man was believed to be a "special groups" leader - language it uses to describe Shiite Muslim militias allegedly backed by Iran. The US says the groups have broken ranks with Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army. The radical cleric in August called a six-month cease-fire, which is due to expire later this month.