Iraqi soldiers hit Jihadists

Iraq mounts new raid on guerrillas

TAL AFAR, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces launched a new offensive against insurgents in the town of Tal Afar near the Syrian border on Monday, and Washington said its patience with Damascus was running out over guerrilla infiltrations.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari defied a $100,000 bounty placed on his head by a militant Islamic group to visit the area, while commanders said about 200 insurgents had been killed since the joint Iraqi-U.S. operation began on Saturday.

The offensive in the northern town has dismayed some members of Iraq's Sunni Arab minority, from which the insurgency draws support, and occurs a month before a referendum on a draft constitution which is already dividing the country.

"Our patience is running out with Syria," the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, told a news briefing at the U.S. State Department in Washington.

"It simply must close the (guerrilla) training camps. It should not allow youngsters misguided by al Qaeda, from Saudi Arabia, from Yemen, from North Africa, to fly into Damascus international airport," he said.

Asked what the consequences would be for Syria if it did not act, Khalilzad said: "I would not like to elaborate ... I think they should understand what I mean."

No immediate comment was available from Syria on Khalilzad's comments. Syria has denied U.S. charges in the past that it was allowing guerrillas to use its territory for attacks on Iraq.

HUNDREDS OF INSURGENTS

Iraq's Third Army Brigade said it had killed 40 insurgents in Tal Afar on Monday, bringing the guerrilla death toll since Saturday to around 200.

An estimated 350-500 insurgents were in the town when Iraqi forces, backed by U.S. troops, began the offensive.

The brigade said 21 "terrorist emirs," or senior insurgent leaders, had been captured.
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Get 'em, men! Chase 'em to Damascus and beyond. Just get 'em!