Five US Marines killed in action

Five US Marines died in a combat operation near the Syrian border in western Iraq today, the US. Military reported. The troops from Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division, were killed in a fire fight in Obeidi, 185 miles west of Baghdad, a statement said.

A New York Times journalist embedded in the same unit reported earlier that five Marines were killed and 11 wounded while searching a farm house today.

US and Iraqi forces have found dozens of explosive booby traps during a sweep of the border area, named Operation Steel Curtain, the military reported earlier.

The operation was designed to clear al-Qaida-led insurgents from towns and cities in the Euphrates River valley near the border with Syria and seal off an infiltration route for foreign fighters sneaking into Iraq.