Separately, the newspaper reported that three carjackers were arrested.

"They had different fake IDs with them, and they confessed that they have stolen a number of cars," the newspaper said.

The Human Rights Ministry and Mass Graves Institute announced in a statement Sunday that "five mass graves were discovered in Umara city" with more than 290 dead bodies in them.

"The bodies were of residents likely killed between 1992 and 1994," the statement said.

Al Mada newspaper reported Tuesday on the setting up of a regiment to fight al-Qaida in Hawija.

The report said people in the southern and western cities of Kirkuk province were working with their tribes and governorate council representatives to provide security in their cities. Operations would include security and guarding units.

The Hawija city council's chief, the paper said, obtained an agreement from the Iraqi prime minister to form the regiment.

"It will be formed in a few days to secure the way between Hawija city and Kirkuk, which has been targeted by” terrorists, the council's chief said.

The Kurdish Al Ahali newspaper said Monday two days after the partial lifting of the curfew in Baghdad, positive results have prompted law enforcement agencies to consider lifting the curfew completely.

It quoted a government spokesman as saying the Baghdad operations room was considering lifting the curfew completely "due to the positive results that the security forces have achieved."