Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Eight Insurgents Killed in US-led Offensive in Western Iraq
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(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=F37928:3919ACA

About 1,000 US soldiers launched Operation Iron Fist in attempt to
drive al-Qaeda-linked insurgents out of border region The U.S.
military says its forces in western Iraq have killed at least eight
insurgents in an advance through a region close to the Syrian border.

About 1,000 U.S. troops launched the campaign Saturday in and around
the border village Sadah, in an attempt to drive insurgents from the
area. Western news agencies quote area residents as saying the
operation appeared to be widening Sunday to several nearby towns.

In Baghdad, insurgents fired mortar rounds at the Interior Ministry.
There were no reports of casualties. The attack came one day after the
brother of Interior Minister Bayan Jabor was kidnapped near the Sadr
City district.

Separately, the U.S. military says a 60-year-old Iraqi detainee who
fell ill at the Abu Ghraib prison has died of a heart attack while
undergoing surgery.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.


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