Thousands of US and Iraqi troops backed by warplanes and helicopters waged a new major offensive against insurgents in western Iraq on Tuesday, the US military said.

The new offensive dubbed River Gate in towns of Haditha, Haqlaniyah and Barwana was designed to uproot insurgents, including al-Qaida fighters who were using the area as a safe haven, the military said. 

"About 2,500 US soldiers and several hundred Iraqi troops were taking part in the operation," the military said in a statement. 

The new operation, which is the largest in the restive western Anbar province this year, came four days after the US military launched Operation Iron Fist farther to the west near the Syrian border to eradicate insurgents and foreign fighters.

Early on Saturday, around 1,000 US marines launched the Iron Fist offensive in the town of Qaim, near the Syrian border and nearby villages including Se'da, a US statement said.

According to the military, at least 33 insurgents have been killed in the area since Saturday.

"Operation Iron Fist began in the early Saturday morning hours with the objectives of rooting out al-Qaida terrorists operating within the area and disrupting insurgent support systems," the statement said.

Meanwhile, insurgents in Se'da have escalated their attacks against "the local populace and city government officials" during the past several months, the statement said.

US and Iraqi troops previously launched several offensives against insurgents in towns and villages scattered on the Euphrates River Valley in Anbar province. 

(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2005)