Iraq: US attacks civilian cars fleeing onslaught - kills ten - three children

db: BBC Worldservice radio is reporting that US helicopters struck two cars full of families trying to escape the latest onslaught near the Syrian border during 'Operation Iron Fist' - killing 10 - including three children. The Worldservice report was broadcast at 11.00 AM. See daily telegraph story below, which does not give any detail concerning the reported deaths of '10 people'.

dailytelegraph.au: US forces, backed by helicopters, launched another big offensive in the far west of Iraq near the Syrian border today to hunt militants linked to al-Qaeda, the US military said.

Around 1000 marines, soldiers and sailors launched Operation Iron Fist in the early hours against insurgents in the town of Qaim, 12km from the Syrian border, and nearby settlements including Sedea.

It is at least the third major offensive US forces have conducted in the area over the past four months.

Previous operations appear to have failed as insurgents have quickly returned to reoccupy the towns and resume guerrilla activities.

"Operation Iron Fist began in the early morning hours with the objectives of rooting out al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists operating within the area and disrupting insurgent support systems," Marine Captain Jeffrey Pool said in a statement.

"For the past several months, terrorists within Sedea have escalated their intimidation and murder campaign against the local populace and city government officials," he said.

Iraqi police in the area said convoys of US military vehicles rolled into Qaim and nearby towns, including Karabila and Sedea, in the early hours, following attacks by helicopters.

A doctor in the main hospital in Qaim, Amir al-Obedi, said 10 people had been killed and eight wounded in fighting. He said relatives of the wounded told him they had been attacked by US helicopters in Sedea. Read more