Fierce clashes erupted between US- Iraqi forces and insurgents amid security operations in the northwestern Iraqi town of Tal Afar, the US military said on Wednesday.

"Major clashes occurred in the area of Tal Afar where Iraqi and coalition forces were successful in security operations," the military said in a statement.

Iraqi and US soldiers had destroyed nine weapons caches and detained 73 suspected insurgents during the operation that started on May 26, it said.

The Turkmen dominated Tal Afar, some 60 km west of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and some 100 km from the Syrian border, is considered by the US military as a haven for insurgents and foreign fighters who infiltrated into Iraq from Syria and carried out attacks in the area.

The operation was launched in a bid to curb a renewed wave of violence across the country. Some 800 people have been killed since a Shiite-led government was unveiled on April 28.

Source: Xinhua