US forces kill six militants and three civilians

US soldiers destroyed two buildings being used by insurgents in a town in Anbar province, killing six militants, two women and a boy believed to be under two, the military said today.

It was the latest of several recent raids during which women or children have been killed or wounded as US forces attacked insurgents in residential areas. In some of the attacks, the US command accused the militants of using civilians as “human shields” or buildings as “safe houses.”