US army kills 5 Iraqis civilians in raid in Huseibah city

The American army said that it killed five civilians and injured other two in an air raid at a house over suspects that it shelters members of al-Qaida organization in Huseibah city on the border with Syria.

The American bombardment came in the course of the so-called "iron curtain" operation launched by the Iraqi forces-backed American forces since Saturday.

Few hours earlier, the American army announced the end of its operations in al-Huseibah, but stressed continued "iron curtain" operations in order to create the conditions for continued military presence in the town.

The US forces say they detained some 180 gunmen and killed other 26 at least since the beginning of the operation, at a time when only one American soldier was killed. Earlier, the Iraqi ministry of defense announced the detention of 68 gunmen and the killing of one Iraqi soldier since the beginning of the operation.

For its part, al-Qaida organization in Iraq said in a statement on the Internet that it launched what it called "a campaign of revenge" in west Iraq after the end of the grace period it gave to the American and Iraqi forces to stop this operation.