Some 5,000 US, British and Iraqi troops began a new offensive today aimed at clearing a swath of insurgent hotbeds south of Baghdad, the US military said.
The operation began with early morning raids in the town of Jabella in Babil province, netting 32 prisoners, the US military said in a statement. Jabella is 50 miles south of Baghdad.
Insurgent violence has increased in the areas south of the capital in "an apparent attempt to divert attention" away from the US-led assault on the militant stronghold of Fallujah, the military said.
The cluster of dusty, small towns located south of the capital, has been a major area for insurgent activity. US and Iraqi forces have come under repeated attacks by car bombs, rockets, and small arms fire in the area.
The region has become known as a "triangle of death" for the numerous attacks by Sunni Muslim insurgents and criminal gangs on Shias, Westerners and members of the Iraqi security services.
In the past three weeks, Iraqi troops and Marines have detained nearly 250 insurgents in the area, the statement said.
They have been aided by British forces from the Black Watch Regiment, who were brought into the area from southern Basra to aid US forces in closing off militant escape routes between Baghdad, Babil province to the south and Anbar province to the west.
It would be the third major military offensive against insurgents since the massive Fallujah operation, which has killed more than 1,200 Iraqis and 50 US soldiers.
Earlier this month, the northern city of Mosul witnessed a mass insurgent uprising in apparent support of Fallujah's guerrillas. Some 2,400 US troops were sent in to retake control over western parts of the city.
AP