Five Iraqi soldiers dead in Mosul raid

MOSUL, Iraq, May 13 (UPI) -- At least five Iraqi soldiers died Tuesday in a roadside bomb attack in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the interior minister said.

The bombing in Iraq's northern Nineveh province came as Iraqi-led security operations tried to drive al-Qaida elements out of the provincial capital, Mosul, Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bulani told CNN.

Iraqi and U.S. forces Saturday launched a long-expected offensive against suspected al-Qaida fighters operating in northern Iraq.

Iraqi defense officials said their forces detained nearly 200 suspects in raids Monday, CNN reported.