US-led forces retake lawless Latifiya

The troops started patrolling the town, where the rebel groups who had controlled this majority Sunni town only 40 km south of the capital in recent months could no longer be seen.

US snipers were posted on roofs, while traffic started to flow again through the town, which lies on the main road linking Baghdad to the south, including to holy Shiite sites in Najaf, Karbala and Kufa.

US marines, backed by British forces brought in from Basra and Iraqi troops, kicked off "Operation Plymouth Rock" on November 23, in a bid to root out the insurgency in the so-called "death triangle".

"No resistance so far during the raids, but we have seen an increase in the number of IED (roadside bomb) attacks," marine spokesman Captain David Nevers said.

"This tells us that our operation is having an effect on the enemy. We're starting to suffocate them, and they're not liking it. We have a large target list, and we're going to continue to stay after them," he added.

Latifiyah has been the site of countless attacks and ambushes on US and Iraqi forces and other convoys carrying officials or foreigners.

Two French reporters, who will mark their 100th day in captivity on Sunday, were captured near the town, where several other foreigners are thought to have taken hostage in recent months.

More than 100 suspected insurgents have been rounded up since the start of the sweep, which came quick on the heels of an assault on Fallujah -- Iraq's largest post-war operation -- and was the latest push to reclaim rebel enclaves ahead of January polls.

Meanwhile, as the Iraqi government tried to warm up to the Sunni Arab minority ahead of January polls, its troops continued joint raids with US forces yesterday against insurgent bastions across the country.

Faced with a threatened boycott by Sunni Muslim parties of the landmark elections, which they say are premature and jeopardised by relentless nationwide violence, the government has made two gestures towards the former ruling minority.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari announced Thursday that his cabinet would engage in contacts with members of the opposition who were excluded from an international conference on Iraq held earlier this week in Egypt.

"The government will initiate contacts in Amman in the near future with representatives of the Iraqi opposition to encourage them to take part in the polls," he told reporters.

Zebari said that among those who would be consulted over the January 30 elections would be members of the former Baathist regime, many of whom were booted out of top jobs after the 2003 US-led invasion to remove Saddam Hussein from power.