FIFTEEN suspected militants were killed in raids by US forces on the possible hideout of a senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leader in the restive province of Diyala overnight, the US military said. The killings occurred during an operation targeting al-Qaeda suspects near the town of Khalis, about 60km north of Baghdad, the military said.Firefights broke out as troops moved in on an area believed to be a meeting place of al-Qaeda fighters "and possible bed down location for a senior leader of the network", they said. Three militants were killed in the initial clashes while a fourth detonated a suicide vest as US troops closed in on another building. Another militant moved between two buildings and was killed by "enemy personnel from inside the building".
Ground forces called for air support, which killed another four suspected militants while further fighting left another six dead. During the engagements, the military said, eight suspected militants were detained and five buildings were destroyed "to prevent further use for terrorist activity".