60 killed in Iraq clashes - US military

US and Iraqi forces have killed 60 militants during the first week of an offensive against al-Qaeda in northern Iraq, the US …

US and Iraqi forces have killed 60 militants during the first week of an offensive against al-Qaeda in northern Iraq, the US military said.

The military added that 193 suspects had been arrested and that a number of weapons caches were found, including an underground bunker complex in volatile Diyala province north of Baghdad.

The offensive in four northern provinces is part of a larger countrywide operation targeting al-Qaeda.

At least nine US soldiers have died since the operation began on January 8th.