A US soldier in Fallujah, Nov. 07, 2004. A total of 25 militants were killed when Iraqi police raided insurgents' checkpoint south of Baghdad.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Winnie the Pooh and Daffy Duck, both characters in children's stories, hang onto the barrel of a machinegun of a Humvee belonging to the 1st Cavalry Regiment 5th Battalion positioned on the outskirts of Fallujah, 50 kms west of Baghdad, 07 November 2004. US artillery batteries shelled suspected rebel positions today in the town of Karma southeast of the rebel city of Fallujah. (Xinhua/AFP Photo By Patrick Baz) A rosary hangs off the barrel of a machinegun mounted on a Bradley belonging to the 1st Cavalry Regiment 5th Battalion positioned on the outskirts of Fallujah, 50 kms west of Baghdad 07 November 2004.(Xinhua/AFP Photo By Patrick Baz) An injured Iraqi baby. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) US troops guard in Fallujah.(Xinhua/AFP photo)

    BAGHDAD, Nov. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- A total of 25 militants were killed when Iraqi police raided insurgents' checkpoint south of Baghdad, police said Monday.

    Dozens of Iraqi police officers from the city of Hillah, dressed in civilian clothing, attacked the militants' checkpoint in the Latifiyah area early on Sunday, police said.

    Fierce battle broke out and lasted for several hours, killing 25 insurgents, they said.

    Latifiyah, some 30 km south of Baghdad, has long been a bastion of insurgency where coalition and Iraqi forces have come under frequent attacks. Enditem