A U.S. military statement said the operations were designed to rid the city of a "large terrorist element" that has displaced local Iraqi security forces.
The U.S. military also yesterday carried out air strikes for a third consecutive day targeting suspected militants in Al-Fallujah, west of Baghdad. At least nine people were reported killed, including a number of women and children.
U.S. and Iraqi forces also entered the town of Samarra in an effort to reestablish Iraqi government control there.
(Reuters/AP/AFP)
Copyright (c) 2004. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
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