Iraq strike 'kills 15 civilians'

The US military says 19 suspected insurgents and 15 women and children have been killed in an operation north of Baghdad.

The air and ground assault was targeted at senior leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq, in the Lake Tharthar region, it said.

An initial air raid killed four insurgents and more air strikes were launched to back up US ground troops, a statement said.

A further 15 insurgents were found dead along with six women and nine children.

'Small-arms fire'

The US military said the first air strike was launched after intelligence reports suggested senior members of al-Qaeda in Iraq were meeting in the Lake Tharthar area, 120km (75 miles) north of the capital.

The coalition said that after the first air raid suspects were observed fleeing to an area south of the lake.

Ground forces attacked a building in which insurgents were believed to be hiding and were engaged by small-arms fire, the statement said. Further air strikes were then called in.

After securing the area, the troops found 15 dead suspected insurgents along with 15 dead civilians.

Two suspected militants, one woman and three children were wounded and another suspect was detained, the statement said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has in the past expressed frustration with his allies over US military action resulting in civilian deaths.

Maj Brad Leighton, a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman, said: "We regret that civilians are hurt or killed while coalition forces search to rid Iraq of terrorism.

"These terrorists chose to deliberately place innocent Iraqi women and children in danger by their actions and presence."

Lake Tharthar was the location for one of executed former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's grandest residences, the so-called Green Palace.