U.S. Marines have launched a new offensive to establish a presence in towns along the Euphrates River long used as insurgent sanctuaries, the U.S. command said Tuesday. Regimental Combat Team 2 began Operation Mawtini last Sunday to «neutralize any future attempts by anti-Iraqi forces to re-establish a presence in key urban areas along the Euphrates River valley,» the Associated Press quoted a U.S. statement as saying. The operation includes more than 9,000 U.S. and Iraqi troops and aims to establish control in remote areas of western Anbar province, the U.S. said. «We anticipate that the terrorists will attempt to step-up their attacks in the urban areas to regain power and influence over the population» said Col. Stacy Clardy, the Marine regimental commander. «We're hunting them down to make sure that doesn't happen.»
