Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari was in the town of Tal Afar for a surprise visit today to see at first hand Iraqi and US operations to rid it of suspected insurgents.
Iraqi and US troops launched an assault early on Saturday against as many as 500 insurgents from the town near the Syrian border.
They said they have killed 141 insurgents and captured 211 more since 26 August.
Iraqi militant group, the Islamic Army in Iraq, has offered up to $100,000 for the killing of Mr Jaafari and top officials for launching the offensive.
Yesterday, Iraq closed its border with Syria. The United States and Iraq say Tal Afar is a staging-post for foreign fighters and military equipment from Syria on their way to cities across central Iraq.
The Kurdish and Shi'ite-Muslim led Iraqi government is facing an insurgency from Sunni Arabs, with bombings and attacks across the country on a daily basis.
