http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/iraq<snip>
MAHMUDIYA, Iraq (AFP) - At least 44 people were killed in one of the bloodiest days since the new Iraqi government took office, as police suffered heavy losses in two separate incidents and clashes raged between US forces and insurgents.
<snip>
Iraqi police and national guardsmen, assisted by US forces, launched a major assault on the no-go zone of Latifiya, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency south of Baghdad, in the boldest offensive by the new government since it took power three months ago.
<snip>Twelve policemen were killed and five national guardsmen wounded in the raids that saw 200 hundred suspects arrested, an Iraqi national guard intelligence officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.
"We have received orders from Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to search Latifiya for weapons and terrorists. The operation will last at least a week," he said.
Iraqi children celebrate near a burned military vehicle following heavy fighting between US troops and insurgents in Tall Afar, west of the main Iraqi northern city of Mosul.(AFP/Mujahed Mohammed)