Iraq: US says 7 killed in raids on al-Qaida in northern

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Raids on al-Qaida forces in northern Iraq have resulted in seven insurgents being killed and more than a dozen arrests, according to the US military. But local police said Friday that two women and two US-allied fighters were among those killed. The US military said in a statement that one target of the raids late Wednesday and early Thursday was an alleged al-Qaida leader in the Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad. It wasn't clear if he was killed or captured. According to the military account released Thursday, troops got into a firefight at one spot, killing two insurgents, then called in air support, which killed another four fighters. One civilian was wounded and evacuated for further care, while troops detained 15 suspected insurgents. All those killed were "terrorists associated" with al-Qaida in Iraq, said Lt. Michael Street, a military spokesman. An Iraqi police officer in the area, however, said Friday that the house that was bombed belonged to a Sunni Arab and tribal leader, and that six family members died. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information, said the bombing occurred about 55 kilometers (33 miles) southwest of Kirkuk and two of the victims were women.