US troops raid homes and round up militant suspects

US SOLDIERS backed by helicopters and tanks raided homes, rounded up suspects and confiscated weapons in the restive town of Fallujah yesterday, part of a nationwide campaign to root out anti-American insurgents who’ve been stepping up attacks.

Operation Desert Scorpion, launched yesterday, involves a series of sweeps throughout Iraq using most of the US Army units present in the country, said Army Captain John Morgan, a spokesman for the Army’s V Corps.

“It’s a combat operation to defeat the remaining pockets of resistance that are delaying the transition to a peaceful and stable Iraq,” Morgan said.