The commanding general of a US army division on Friday said American forces have captured several of Saddam Hussein's personal bodyguards, reports CNN.

Maj Gen. Ray Odierno of the 4th Infantry Division said the raid took place Thursday at a house south of Tikrit, the deposed Iraqi president's hometown.

"We had somebody come into Tikrit, the 1st Brigade, and give us...a tip to conduct a raid on a house south of Tikrit, which we conducted last night," Odierno said in a video teleconference from Baghdad with reporters in Washington.

"Based on the informant south of Tikrit, we detained 13 individuals. Somewhere between five to 10 of those, we are still sorting through it, are believed to be Saddam Hussein's personal security detachment."

Odierno said it wasn't clear how recently the bodyguards had been protecting Saddam and that the hunt for the deposed Iraqi leader was continuing.