US forces capture 30 in raid near Fallujah

US troops killed five suspects and detained 30 others today in a raid north-east of Fallujah, the military said.

American forces raided a group of buildings suspected of being used by militants, and found explosives inside one of them, the military said in a statement.

A helicopter was called in, and dropped precision-guided bombs on the cluster of buildings, it said.

Meanwhile, troops came under fire and reacted in “self-defence,” the statement said – killing five Iraqis and wounding four others.

The wounded were taken to a military hospital and remained in US custody.

Twenty-six others were captured as well, the military said.

The operation took place near Karmah, a town north-east of Fallujah, which lies 40 miles west of Baghdad.