A US air strike killed senior insurgents suspected of targeting American helicopters in Iraq, and the Iraqi government said 39 militants had been killed in volatile western Anbar province in recent fighting.
The US military said today the air strike took place yesterday north of Baghdad near the town of Taji, which is home to a major US air base. It said weaponry, including a vehicle mounted with anti-aircraft artillery, was destroyed.
"Coalition forces believe key terrorists were killed during the air strike ... Intelligence reports indicated this network is responsible for threats to coalition aircraft," the military said in a statement without elaborating.
Insurgents have shot down eight helicopters since January 20th in Iraq, killing a total of 28 people, mostly soldiers. Six of those helicopters were US military aircraft and two belonged to a private American security firm.
US commanders say those responsible for the downings are being hunted. They have said insurgents appeared to be targeting helicopters to undermine a new security crackdown in Baghdad that began last month and which is seen as a last ditch effort to stop Iraq from tearing itself apart.
The Iraqi Defence Ministry said in a statement Iraqi security forces had killed 39 militants in the vast western province of Anbar yesterday and had detained 30 others.
The toll could not be independently verified and it was unclear if there were any government casualties.