BAGHDAD - Iraqi and US forces have netted 84 suspected militants in the Baghdad area following a deadly streak of car bomb attacks, the US military said Monday.
"Iraqi army soldiers, Iraqi police and US soldiers apprehended 84 suspected terrorists in 19 different combat operations conducted in and around Baghdad over the last 24 hours," it said in a statement.
Forty suspects were captured Monday in the largest operation, it added.
The crackdown comes after insurgents stepped up attacks in Baghdad following Thursday's announcement that Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari had formed a partial government line-up.
At least 12 car bombs went off in the Baghdad area alone on Friday, four on Saturday, two on Sunday and another three on Monday, killing more than 40 members of the Iraqi security forces and civilians.
05/02/2005 11:27 GMT