Heavy clashes south of Baghdad kill at least 21 Iraqi soldiers

6/28/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Mideast-Iraq-299

    Iraqi federal policemen patrol in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib suburb, Iraq, Saturday, June 28, 2014. Iraqi troops backed by helicopter gunships launched an operation early Saturday aimed at dislodging Sunni militants from the northern city of Tikrit, one of two major urban centers they seized in recent weeks in a dramatic blitz across the country. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

  • BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials say heavy clashes between security forces and Sunni insurgents have killed at least 21 troops south of Baghdad.

    Police officials say the fighting raged for hours today near the town of Jurf al-Sakhar, some 30 miles south of the capital. The town is part of a predominantly Sunni ribbon that runs just south of Baghdad.

    The officials say dozens of militants were killed and several captured during the fighting.

    Hospital officials confirmed the government forces’ casualty figures.

    All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were authorized to brief the media.