Iraqi security forces continued chasing al-Qaida militants in the northern city of Mosul on Thursday, capturing 275 suspects, officials said.
Abdul-Kareem Khalaf, spokesman of operations office in the Iraqi Interior Ministry, told reporters that the Iraqi troops detained about 275 suspected insurgents overnight and up to 833suspects have been captured since the beginning of the operation.
"Our troops chased terrorists hiding in residential areas in Mosul. They are trying to avoid confronting security forces," Khalaf said.
He said that 52 of the detainees were released after being interrogated.
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his top aides flew to Mosul on Wednesday to oversee the latest offensive, dubbed "Lion's Roar," against al-Qaida and other insurgent groups.
Earlier in the week, hundreds of Iraqi troops deployed through the city's neighborhoods and raided dozens of targets believed to be involved in terrorist attacks against Iraqi security forces and civilians, the source said.
Maliki promised last January a crackdown to uproot the al-Qaida groups in the province where they were believed to be regrouped after being defeated in Baghdad and other Iraqi provinces.
Source:Xinhua
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