MIDDLE EAST:US forces said they killed 49 gunmen in fierce fighting in Baghdad yesterday during a raid to capture an Iranian-linked kidnap cell leader suspected of abducting US-led coalition soldiers and other foreigners.
Iraqi police put the death toll from the fighting in Sadr City, the main stronghold of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi army, at 13. Two of the victims were infants, witnesses said.
A US military official said the target of the raid was suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of "coalition force members and other foreigners" in May this year and last November. The official did not say whether he had been captured.
Last October, a US army translator was kidnapped and in May three US soldiers and five Britons - four security contractors and a civilian - were abducted in separate incidents.
In London, the ministry of defence and the foreign office said it was unaware of the raid. The US military has staged several operations in Sadr City in its hunt for the Britons.
"The operation's objective was an individual reported to be a long-time Special Groups member specialising in kidnapping operations. Intelligence indicates he . . . has previously sought funding from Iran," the US military said in a statement.
Special Groups is US military jargon for rogue Mehdi army units it says receive funding, training and weapons from Iran.
The US military said its soldiers came under heavy machine gun and rocket-propelled-grenade fire from neighbouring buildings at the start of the raid. Troops returned fire, killing 33. Six more gunmen were killed in air strikes.
As the raiding party began withdrawing from the area, they continued to come under fire and were struck by a roadside bomb. The military said soldiers shot back, killing 10 gunmen.
"Ground forces reported they were unaware of any innocent civilians being killed as a result of this operation," the US military said.