US-led forces in Iraq today claimed to have killed at least 30 suspected rebel fighters near the Syrian border.
Three US Marines died during the last two days of the operation to clear the town of Obeidi, a statement said.
More than 80 insurgents have been killed, mostly in air strikes, in the same period, the statement said.
"Intelligence reports indicate that the strong resistance to the Iraqi and Coalition push into the city is due in large part to the fact that insurgents believe they are trapped and have nowhere else to go," the military report said.
"Several detainees were captured trying to sneak out of the area by crawling among a flock of sheep."
The US-led attack on Obeidi was the latest stage of an offensive to clear al Qaeda-led insurgents from a string of towns and cities in the Euphrates River valley near the border with Syria and seal off a major infiltration route for foreign fighters sneaking into Iraq.
"Iraqi and coalition forces continue to clear the city house-by-house, occasionally encountering buildings that are rigged with explosives and triggered to detonate upon entering the building," the statement said.
"Numerous weapons caches have also been seized, to include several that contained suicide vests and bomb making material."
Earlier this month, US and Iraqi forces overran two other towns in the area - Husaybah and Karabilah.
Unlike in previous sweeps in the area, the US and their Iraqi allies plan to establish a long-term presence to prevent insurgents from returning.
One Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 2, 2nd Marine Division died Tuesday from wounds incurred from a bomb that exploded yesterday.
Another Marine from the same unit died from a roadside bomb in Obeidi, the same border town, a statement said.
The third Marine died from small arms fire, another statement said. He was assigned to the same unit.
AP