The U.S. military in Iraq says troops killed seven terrorists and detained another 10 suspects during operations Saturday and Friday targeting leaders and fighters of the group al-Qaida in Iraq.
A coalition military statement Saturday says troops conducted raids and seized weapons and munitions around Tikrit, Fallujah and Baghdad.
The coalition says a raid Friday in Mosul resulted in the capture of an alleged Kurdish extremist associated with attacks in northern Iraq.
On Friday, a U.S. military commander, Lieutenant-General Ray Odierno, said the current offensive against insurgents in the Baghdad area could create conditions for the United States to reduce its combat forces in Iraq by early next year.
He told reporters that the additional forces ordered to Iraq in January are resulting in a major change in the fight against insurgents.
Odierno says that with the support of U.S. troops, Iraqi forces may be able to take charge of more areas within the first three or four months of 2008. - VOA News
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