US millitary says it killed approximately 40 'insurgents' in Iraq

June 11, 2005

United States air-strikes have killed an estimated 40 suspected insurgents in western Iraq on Saturday, the US military has said. "Seven precision-guided U.S. air strikes on the outskirts of the town of Karabilah killed the insurgents who were stopping vehicles at gunpoint and threatening Iraqi civilians," said a US military statement. It has not been confirmed that insurgents were stopping civilians at gunpoint.

The statement said that there were no US casualties and that no report of civilian casualties has been received in the area of the attacks, near Karabila, 300 km (186 miles) west of Baghdad.

Elsewhere, reports indicate a former Iraqi police commander blew himself up in a failed bid to assassinate the leader of the anti-insurgent "Wolf Brigade" in Baghdad, killing three other policemen in the attempt.