US and Iraqi forces backed by helicopters killed 26 militants suspected of links to "Iranian terror networks" in raids in the Baghdad Shiite district of Sadr City yesterday, the US military said.
"Coalition forces conducted two separate raids targeting suspected secret cell terrorists during pre-dawn hours Saturday in Sadr City," the military said, adding that another 17 suspects were detained in the operations. "It is believed that the suspected terrorists have close ties to Iranian terror networks and are responsible for facilitating the flow of lethal aid into Iraq," it added.
Tehran has always denied the charges, insisting it supports the ShiÂ’ite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki and blaming Iraq's myriad conflicts on the US occupation.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei yesterday dismissed the US allegations, according to Iranian state television.
"American accusations against Iran about Iraq... are unfounded," Khamenei said. "There is no doubt about the Iranian government's and people's hatred towards the US administration but America's problem stems from elsewhere." |