A US military offensive in the Iraqi town of Baquba is continuing after operations yesterday saw at least 30 al-Qaida militants killed.

According to the US forces in Iraq, al-Qaida terrorists operating in the area were targeted and coalition forces found four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in houses as well as ten buried IEDs during the first full day of the offensive.

Operation Arrowhead Ripper is one of the largest offensives launched by the US military since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and involves about 10,000 troops and air support.

Brigadier General Mick Bednarek, deputy commander of operations in the northern part of Iraq, said the local population was cooperating with the US forces to target suspected militants.

"These will know no safe place to hide," he said. "The people of Diyala are tired of the terror and violence these al-Qaida thugs have brought to their province and are cooperating with us in order to root them out."

In Baquba forces involved in the operation found two weapon dumps with grenades, rocket launchers and large and small explosives.

Other forces operating near the village of Zaganiyah, also in Diyala, engaged militants suspected of placing an IED along a river valley.

Brig Gen Bednarek added: "This operation is just beginning and we will continue to strike al-Qaida no matter where they hide and we won't rest until the job is done."

About 1,000 Iraqi forces joined the US-led operation which was coordinated from the newly formed Diyala control centre.

In operations in Baghdad, the US military killed four and arrested 62 suspected insurgents in the south-east region of the Iraqi capital.

Details were also confirmed of a US soldier killed and three wounded by a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Monday. The soldier has not yet been named.

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