Gunmen ambushed an Iraqi army patrol in the restive province of Diyala on Monday, killing seven soldiers and a major, a senior Iraqi army officer told AFP.
The attack took place in the town of Bohruz at around 5:00 pm (1400 GMT), said Brigadier General Ragib al-Omairi, an Iraqi army commander in Baquba, the capital of Diyala province northeast of Baghdad.
"The two-car patrol came under fire from gunmen using rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles. Major Salim Ghaluz and seven soldiers were among those killed," Omairi said.
Diyala is one of the most dangerous regions in Iraq, a province where insurgents continue to launch attacks despite massive US and Iraqi military operations.
