BAGHDAD, Sept 4: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Thursday accused Syria and Iran of not doing enough to stop an influx of anti-American fighters into Iraq.

“We are unhappy about the fact that people come across the Syrian and Iranian border. They know we are unhappy about it,” Mr Rumsfeld told reporters on the plane that flew him in to Baghdad on an unannounced visit.

Asked if Syria and Iran were exerting efforts to stop the infiltrations, Mr Rumsfeld said: “It’s intermittent, uneven.”

US officials blame supporters of ousted President Saddam Hussein and foreign fighters for a guerilla campaign that has killed 67 American soldiers since Washington declared an end to major combat on May 1.

Mr Rumsfeld said the US forces did not know exactly where the threat to American forces was coming from.

“The US intelligence community has imperfect visibility,” he said.

Four car bombings that have killed more than 120 people including the UN representative and a top Shia leader in the last month have highlighted the lack of security in the country of 26 million since Saddam was deposed five months ago. —Reuters