US military report fierce fighting in Iraq

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

The US command said today that three US Marines have died in combat while trying to clear the town of Obeidi as part of Operation Steel Curtain since yesterday.

At least 80 insurgents have been killed, mostly in air strikes, in the same period, the statement said.

“Iraqi and coalition forces continue to clear the city house-by-house, occasionally encountering buildings that are rigged with explosives,” the statement said.

The US-Iraqi attack on Obeidi was the latest stage of an offensive to clear al-Qaida-led insurgents from a string of towns and cities in the Euphrates River valley.

“Intelligence reports indicate that the strong resistance to the Iraqi and Coalition push into the city is due in large part to the fact that insurgents believe they are trapped,” the military report said.