U.S. and Iraqi forces have ended a four-day operation, Spear, aimed at clearing insurgent bases and training camps in western Iraq.
Military officials say forces killed some 50 fighters and discovered more than a dozen car bombs in and around the town of Karabilah during the campaign.
U.S. officials also say a roadside bomb killed an American soldier in a separate incident in western Iraq.
In Baghdad, the new U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, expressed horror at ongoing attacks by insurgents against Iraqi civilians. Mr. Khalilzad made the comment after presenting his credentials to President Jalal Talabani in a meeting Tuesday.
Meantime, a top U.S. military commander, General John Vines, says some U.S. forces may begin leaving the country after elections scheduled for later this year.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
