BAGHDAD - The US military on Monday gave details of the way an American police patrol, shadowing a supply convoy, battled and killed more than half of a group of 40 to 50 rebels who had hemmed in the trucks in an ambush.
Following a brief statement about the operation on Sunday, the military said a total of 26 rebels were killed, seven wounded and one captured. The US side suffered seven wounded, it added.
The insurgents had set up an ambush on both sides of the road and were waiting for the supply convoy, which was heading to a military base south of Baghdad.
The convoy was under small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades about nine kilometres ((five miles) east of Salman Pak, when the US military police patrol arrived, said Major Rob Simmons on Monday.
"The patrol inflicted massive casualties on the attacking force. Total enemy killed in action is 26 and another seven enemy wounded in action. Additionally, there was one enemy captured," Simmons said.
"The patrol suffered three wounded that were transported to the nearest medical facility, and another unit had four wounded in action."
The attack, in which the US military on Sunday said 24 rebels had been confirmed killed, came amid a surge in violence against the US-led military forces around Salman Pak, 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of Baghdad.
"In recent days, this route has had increased attacks on coalition forces," said Simmons, referring to the road to the capital which is littered with burnt-out cars.
An attack on a US-guarded convoy at the same location on Friday, involving rockets, mortar rounds and small arms, killed a third-country national driving a vehicle, Simmons said, but did not give further details.
Salman Pak is home to several Sunni Arab tribes who follow the radical Wahhabi brand of Islam that is the official religion in Saudi Arabia.
According to the head of Iraqi intelligence, General Mohammed Abdullah Shahwani, Salman Pak has become "guerrilla fiefdom".
Separately, an interior ministry official insisted on Monday that 10 guards belonging to interim minister of state for governorate affairs Wael Abdul Lateef had gone missing on Sunday in Warda when Latif's convoy was ambushed south of Baghdad.
Latif's office has denied any such attack.

03/21/2005 14:04 GMT