BAGHDAD, Sept. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Iraqi forces backed by US troops continued on Monday a major offensive against insurgents in Iraq's northern restive town of Tal Afar.

    "The Iraqi forces are chasing the surrounded terrorists in al-Saray district in Tal Afar," Iraqi Interior Minister Biyan Jabr Solagh told a news conference.

    Brigadier Abdul Aziz Muhammed said 157 insurgents were killed and 291 suspected insurgents captured in the battles.

    "We have also seized 24 caches of weapons and discovered 12 booby-trapped houses," Muhammed told reporters at the news conference.

    Solagh said Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari has arrived at Tal Afar in a surprise visit to the town.

    Al-Jaafari, commander in chief of the Iraqi armed forces, said on Saturday that he had given orders to Iraqi forces to launch the offensive against insurgents in Tal Afar.

    Tal Afar, some 420 km north of Baghdad, is believed to be a stronghold for foreign fighters and insurgents against the US and Iraqi government forces.

    Ethnic Turkmen account for 90 percent of the population there, about 70 percent of whom are Sunnis. Enditem