BAGHDAD, Nov 21: In total 22 people were killed on Sunday amid the bloodiest clashes yet in the city of Ramadi in the Sunni triangle about 80km northwest of Baghdad, the Arabic news channel al-Arabiya reported.

Reports of the new violence came in as the US army announced On Sunday that US and Iraqi troops have arrested 1,450 suspected insurgents since an all-out military assault began two weeks ago on Fallujah, the former hotspot in the Sunni-dominated area. In the same period over 400 detainees proven not to have links to insurgents in the rebel strong hold city were released.

Violence in Iraq centred on the city of Ramadi in the Sunni triangle, where nine members of the Iraqi National Guard were killed and another 17 injured in clashes between insurgents and members of the Iraqi security forces.

In total six civilians were also among those killed. Seven of those killed had been travelling in a minibus, which was attacked by US troops, according to witnesses. In total 11 were injured in this incident, the report said.

The US military confirmed the attack. In Fallujah, sporadic fighting between US forces and insurgents continued on Sunday, particularly in the northern areas of al-Jolan, Nowab al- Dubbat and Hay al-Mulemin which had been under US control last week. -dpa