U.S. helicopters fly from a military base during Operation Swarmer, as part of its assault operation with the combined U.S. and Iraqi forces targeting insurgents near the town of Samarra, March 16, 2006. (Xinhua)

TIKRIT, Iraq, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. and Iraqi troops waged on Thursday a large-scale offensive against insurgents in a sprawling open area northeast of Samarra, 120 km north of Baghdad, a local provincial security source told Xinhua.

    "Iraqi army and police forces, backed by U.S. helicopters launched a pre-dawn offensive against insurgents in the Jallamarea from several directions," the source from Salahudin province said on condition of anonymity.

    The attack targeted insurgents, including the al-Qaida fighters in the open area between Samarra town to the south and the al-Dowr town to the north, and between Tigris River to the west and the Himrin mountains to the east, the source said.

    Local residents name the main road linking Baghdad and Mosul the "death road" as it passes through the targeted area. The offensive against insurgents came amid the recent security deterioration in Iraq.

    Late in February, unknown militants killed Attwar Bahjat, correspondent of the Arabiyah TV channel, and two of her colleagues in the same area.

    

U.S. and Iraqi soldiers receive a pre-flight briefing from a UH-60 Blackhawk crew chief at Forward Operating Base Remagen airstrip before the start of Operation Swarmer, an assault operation with the combined U.S. and Iraqi forces targeting insurgents near the town of Samarra, about 100 km (60miles) north of Baghdad March 16, 2006. (Xinhua)

Separately, unknown insurgents killed an Iraqi interpreter and his child in an attack at his house in the Iraqi oil refinery town of Baiji, 200 km north of Baghdad, on Thursday morning, a local police source told Xinhua.

    "Armed men stormed a house in the Asmida suburb in northern Baiji and opened fire at a family while gathering for breakfast, killing the father who works interpreter with the U.S. troops and his child," Lie. Nahi Abed from Baiji police said. Four other family members were wounded in the attack, Nahi added. Enditem