BAGHDAD, June 24 (Xinhuanet) -- Several groups of Iraqi militants mounted attacks on Iraqi police forces on Thursday morning in Baqoba, a town near Baghdad, killing at least 19 Iraqi policemen, the Al-Jazeera channel reported.

    Six policemen were also wounded in the attacks, in which the attackers occupied a police station in the conflicting area, the channel said.

    US soldiers and Iraqi policemen withdrew from the town, 60 km northeast of Baghdad, after two US military vehicles caught fire.

    witnesses said that soon after the withdrawal, US planes were seen firing on ground targets.

    No reports on US casualties were received so far. Enditem