Iraqi-US assault hailed a success

The assault went ahead after days of fighting failed to dislodge rebels

A major Iraqi-US offensive against rebels in northern Iraq has been successfully completed, the commander in charge of the operation has said.

Iraqi Gen Abdulaziz Mohammed said 157 rebels had been killed and 683 suspects captured during the three-week offensive in the town of Talafar.

He said 12 members of Iraq's security forces had died and 27 were injured.

His comments came as violent attacks continued across the country, killing at least nine Iraqis.

"We announce the end of military operations in Talafar," Gen Jassim told reporters in the capital, Baghdad.

He said that 64 arms caches had been discovered during the operation in and around the town, near the Syrian border.

"The fourth phase of the operation, which deals with reconstruction, is now in place," the general said.

He added that civilians - who had been ordered to leave their homes prior to the offensive - have now started to return.

In a separate development, US President George W Bush said he was concerned that foreign fighters were still getting into Iraq from Syria, describing Damascus' co-operation as "limited".

Speaking in Washington, Mr Bush again stressed that pulling out US forces from Iraq would make the world more dangerous and allow rebels to "claim an historic victory over the United States".

Baghdad shootings

On Friday, violent attacks by suspected insurgents left at least nine Iraqis dead.

The victims included four guards working for the immigration ministry, whose vehicle was fired on by unknown gunmen in Baghdad.

A businessman and two of his sons were shot dead in their home in the eastern district of New Baghdad by gunmen wearing police uniforms. Another of his sons was kidnapped.

And an Iraqi police colonel and his driver died in a drive-by shooting near the northern town of Baquba.

Meanwhile, the US military has reported the death of one of its soldiers in a roadside bomb attack that took place in Baghdad on Wednesday.

Six soldiers were injured in the blast in the Dora section of Baghdad, a residential area that has been the site of many attacks by insurgents against US forces and Iraqi police.