(KUNA) -- A U.S. Marine was killed in the western part of Al-Anbar province, while in southern Baghdad a militiaman of Madhi Army was arrested, U.S. army said in a statement Saturday. The statement said the marine, who served in the fifth battalion regiment of the US Army, was killed in Al-Anbar province west of the capital. However, the statement did not specify the exact circumstances of the incident nor the exact location.The death brought the number of US casualties to 37 deaths in December. Eleven of these casualties were reported last Wednesday.
On another front, the statement said U.S. and Iraqi forces captured in a raid today a leader of a cell affiliated to Muqtada Al-Sadr's Mahdi army in the town of Kut southern Baghdad. The arrestee is suspected to be involved in raids and armed attacks on Iraqi security patrols and Multi-National Forces (MNF), statement added.