Iraq says attacks targeted insurgents

Baghdad: A deadly raid on the Syrian side of Iraq's border targeted an area used by insurgents responsible for cross-border attacks into Iraq, Iraqi government spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh said on Monday.

"The attacked area was the scene of activities of terrorist groups operating from Syria against Iraq," Dabbagh.

"The latest of these groups ... killed 13 police recruits in an (Iraqi) border village. Iraq had asked Syria to hand over this group which uses Syria as a base for its terrorist activities," he said.

Syria has said US helicopters carried out the strike late on Sunday, which killed eight people. Washington has not confirmed or denied such an attack, and Dabbagh would not say who had carried it out.

"Iraq is always seeking distinguished relations with its sister Syria," he said. "The presence of some anti-Iraq groups in Syria, which are supporting and participating in activities against Iraqis, would hinder improvement of these relations".