The US military has launched an offensive in western Iraq near the Syrian border aimed insurgents.
The operation against "a known terrorist sanctuary" began early today in the town of Sadah in the western province of Anbar, about eight miles from the Iraq-Syrian border, the US military said in a statement.
US Marines, soldiers and sailors from Regimental Combat Team-2 took part in the offensive, named "Operation Iron Fist."
It is aimed at rooting out Al-Qaida in Iraq insurgents and disrupting their support systems in and around the town, the military said.
In recent months, the statement said, the insurgents have established a base in Sadah and used it to launch attacks against Iraqi civilians and US and Iraqi in the area.
The offensive also was aimed at stopping foreign insurgents from entering the country from Syria and at improving security in the area before Iraq's Oct. 15 national referendum on the country's draft constitution, the military said.