AL DAWR (Iraq), March 17: Under the watchful eye of drone spy planes, joint US-Iraqi patrols on Friday surrounded and entered hamlets near Samarra on the second day of a major operation to root out insurgents.

Around 50 suspects were detained during the first 24 hours of “Operation Swarmer” which kicked off Thursday morning in Al-Jalam north of Samarra, but a third of those arrested were later released.

US officials also admitted that of the six weapons caches found, none were substantial.

US commanders in the field, speaking on Friday, said not a single shot had been fired at their forces.

“Detainees provided us with good information concerning the Golden Mosque attack,” said one Iraqi army colonel who gave his name as Ali.

“There are indicators (the rebels in the area) have ties with AMZ,” said US Lieutenant-Colonel Skip Johnson, speaking of Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab Zarqawi.

But neither suggested those detained were either involved with the Golden Mosque attack or with militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s Al Qaeda branch.

Troops scoured small mud house hamlets, searched houses and isolated outbuildings and explored nearby fields, while helicopters criss-crossed the skies and drone spy planes circled overhead.

The deputy governor of Salaheddin province, Abdullah Hussein, suggested at least one key insurgent leader had been apprehended.—AFP