BAGHDAD, Oct. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- The Iraqi national guards announced the arrests of 73 Afghans who have entered the country illegally through Iran, said Al Mashriq newspaper Tuesday.

   The Iraqi national guards forces arrested the Afghans in the city of Ummarah, south of Baghdad, where foreign fighters usually come from, said captain Furat Al Timimi, spokesman for the national guards forces in the south of Iraq.

   The arrested Afghans would be turned to the Iraqi police for investigation because of terrorist suspicion, the spokesman added.   The Iraqi interim government continues its effort to control the borders with neighboring countries in a bid to control the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, especially with the approaching of the elections, he emphasized, adding that Iraq needs cooperation of its neighboring countries to prevent foreign fighters from infiltration.

   Hazim Shaalan al-Khuzaei, the Iraqi defense minister, had accused Iran on several occasions of interfering in the Iraq iinternal affairs and of allowing fighters to enter Iraq through Iran.  Enditem