Strike Kills 60 Terrorists Near Fallujah

The strike destroyed three buildings in which members of Abu Musab Zarqawi terrorist group were meeting. The strike hit the compound near the village of Qaryat ar Rufish. The village is southeast of Fallujah and southwest of Baghdad, officials in Baghdad said. According to a release, sources said about 90 foreign fighters were meeting when the strike hit.

Those who escaped the initial strike escaped to a nearby village. Multinational forces discontinued the engagement when there was a danger of killing civilians.

The multinational force also took out a terrorist target in Fallujah earlier in the day. Officials said the air strike destroyed a home used by the Zarqawi network to store ammunition and the plan attacks against Iraqi civilians, Iraqi security forces and multinational forces.

Details are sketchy about Operation Hurricane launched by soldiers and Marines in Ramadi. The operation, according to a release, is to find and remove illegal weapons and to disrupt the Daham terrorist network.

Officials said the Daham network is affiliated with Zarqawi and is responsible for attacks against Iraqis and member of the multinational force in Anbar province. Officials with the 1st Marine Division said the operation is under the laws of the Iraqi interim government.

Near Karbala, Iraqi police, Iraqi National Guardsmen and members of the Polish- led Multinational Division Central- South conducted searches that netted nine suspects wanted by the Iraqi Police and a number of weapons and attendant ammunition.

Three Marines were killed in Anbar province today. One was killed in action and two died of wounds. There are no other details on the action.

Terrorists also kidnapped two Americans and a Briton from their house in the al Mansour neighborhood in Baghdad. News reports identified the three as working for the Gulf Services Company a construction firm.