By Xinhua
Baghdad : US and Iraqi forces killed at least 30 Al Qaeda suspects during a major offensive on militant strongholds in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, the US military said Wednesday.
During the first full day of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, the US and Iraqi combined forces also discovered numerous weapon caches, the military said in a statement.
The troops also used guided missiles to destroy a known Al Qaeda weapon cache located inside a safe house, the statement added.
Earlier Tuesday, the US military said around 10,000 troops, including 2,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen, launched a massive assault on Al Qaida suspects operating in and around Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad.
"This operation is just beginning and we will continue to strike Al Qaeda no matter where they hide and we won't rest until the job is done," said Brigadier General Mick Bednarek of 25th Infantry Division, who is also deputy commanding general for this operation.