Using car bombs and a man with explosives strapped to his body, insurgents launched five suicide attacks in northern and central Iraq on Wednesday, killing more than 60 people in three cities, police said.

The attacks occurred as hundreds of U.S. Marines pushed through a lawless region of western Iraq near the Syrian border in a military offensive aimed at supporters of the country's most wanted terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

On Tuesday, the more than 1,000 U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors in Operation Matador battled past well-armed militants who fought from basements, rooftops and sandbag bunkers.

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At least three Marines were reported killed and 20 wounded during the first three days of the offensive — the biggest U.S. operation since Fallujah was taken from extremists six months ago.

Posted by: Jonathan Singer / 2:12 AM | Basie! Home