April 6 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq at 2100 GMT on Sunday.

* denotes new or updated items.

BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi forces battled gunmen in the Shi'ite Sadr city district of eastern Baghdad, police said. The U.S. military said a helicopter air strike had killed nine "criminals" in the area. Hospital sources said at least 25 Iraqis died and 98 were wounded.

BAGHDAD - Two U.S. soldiers were killed and 17 wounded in a rocket or mortar attack on the Green Zone government and diplomatic compound in central Baghdad, a U.S. military official said. One U.S. soldier was killed at 14 were wounded in another strike on a U.S. base elsewhere in Baghdad.

* BAGHDAD - A U.S. soldier died of wounds sustained in an attack in eastern Baghdad. The U.S. military gave no further details.

BAGHDAD - A mortar or rocket strike hit the Jamila wholesale market in eastern Baghdad, setting it ablaze. Police said at least 100 shops were destroyed and firefighters were unable to reach the market to put out the blaze.

BAGHDAD - Five bodies were found across Baghdad on Sunday, police said. The bodies of seven people were found in different parts of Baghdad on Saturday.

BAGHDAD - A mortar round wounded two people in Palestine Street, northeastern Baghdad, police said.

DIYALA - One U.S. soldier was killed as a result of injuries sustained from a roadside bomb in Diyala province, the U.S. military said.

BAGHDAD - The Iraqi army killed 17 militants and arrested 51 others in different areas across Iraq over last 24 hours, the army said.

KIRKUK - The body of a woman was found with gunshot wounds near Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

MOSUL - Gunmen kidnapped about 40 university students near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, but Iraqi security forces freed them several hours later, police said.

MOSUL - Two gunmen were killed while they were planting a roadside in eastern Mosul, police said.

MOSUL - Gunmen blew up an unfinished government building, wounding three women nearby, police said.

BAGHDAD - Two policemen were wounded when two mortar rounds landed on a police station in the Sadr city district, police said. Three police vehicles were damaged in the attack.

SAMARRA - Seven members of a neighbourhood security force were killed during fighting with al Qaeda militants near the city of Samarra, 100 km (60 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

(Compiled by Aws Qusay, editing by Peter Graff)

AlertNet news is provided by