Baghdad prisoners ‘found tortured’

US and Iraqi forces fighting insurgents near the Syrian border ran into fierce resistance yesterday with troops encountering dozens of explosive booby traps and killing at least 30 insurgents, the military said.

Also yesterday, Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari confirmed that more than 173 Interior Ministry prisoners were found malnourished and possibly tortured by the new government’s security forces.

Three US Marines have died in combat while trying to clear the town of Obeidi since Monday. At least 80 insurgents have been killed in the same period, mostly in air strikes, the military statement said.