US forces kill 42 rebels

2005-10-05 11:56

Baghdad - United States troops have killed 42 insurgents since the start of an operation in western Iraq near the Syrian border aimed at clearing the area of al-Qaeda fighters, the US military said.

"Operation Iron Fist continues into its fourth day as approximately 1 000 marines, soldiers and sailors root out al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists and disrupt insurgent support systems in and around Sadah," just 12km from the border, a statement said.

"The official enemy killed in action count is 42 as of today (late Tuesday)."

The offensive is part of an overall operation called Hunter, which the United States military said seeks to deny al-Qaeda the ability to operate freely in the Euphrates River valley and to prevent terrorists from "influencing the local population through murder and intimidation".

In Operation River Gate which was launched on Tuesday, around 2 500 troops have been scouring three towns along the river, west of Baghdad.

A combined force of 900 US and Iraqi troops are also working in Operation Mountaineers around the area of rebel hotspot Ramadi, also west of the capital, to secure it ahead of the October 15 referendum on the constitution.

The US army announced on Tuesday that five soldiers had been killed in western Iraq, including one in Iron Fist.

- AFP