Iraq lifts three-day curfew as Talabani arrives in Iran

Baghdad: Violence continued in Baghdad on Monday despite the lifting of a three-day curfew.

Meanwhile, President Jalal Talabani arrived in Iran where he is expected to seek help to prevent Iraq sliding into civil war.

Hardline Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Iran is "ready to help" calm Iraq's fighting.

Talabani, who is due to meet with Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday, said his visit to Tehran was aimed at "negotiating for the expansion of ties in all fields".

"The talks will address issues of politics, commerce, oil, culture and security in particular," he said.

At least six people were killed when gunmen opened fire on a crowded street in central Baghad. In Dora, armed men attacked a police patrol and wounded six policemen. A half-hour later, other gunmen attacked an Iraqi army checkpoint, wounding four soldiers.

Britain said it expects to withdraw thousands of its 7,000 military personnel from Iraq by the end of next year, while Italy said it will complete its pullout by December 2.

Meanwhile, a US Air Force jet with one pilot crashed in Iraq's insurgent hotbed of Anbar province, the military said.

The F-16CG jet was supporting US troops when it went down. There was no immediate information on the pilot's condition.

Witness Mohammed Al Obeidi said that he saw the jet flying up and down erratically before it nose-dived and exploded in a farm field. He said other US warplanes rushed to the crash site and were circling around it.