The United States military has announced the end of a nine-day offensive launched in the "triangle of death" rebel area south of Baghdad, saying 200 insurgents had been rounded up. The operation to reclaim control of the area, which earned its nickname from the assassinations, ambushes and kidnappings carried out there, followed on from the assault on the western city of Fallujah which was launched on November 8. US-led forces moved on Fallujah in the largest and military operation since the 2003 invasion, in a bid to remove what was seen by the US military and Iraq's interim Government as one of the main obstacles to holding viable polls in January. Operation Plymouth Rock was launched on November 23 by some 5,000 US marines, British troops and Iraqi forces, aimed at flushing out rebels who were thought to have fled Fallujah. The operation was wound up on Wednesday, the US military said. The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force said it had rounded up 204 suspected militants and discovered 11 arms caches during the operation, causing "serious damage to insurgent activity". Marines were particularly pleased with the role played by Iraqi national guards, who led several operations during the sweep, despite "a concerted campaign of intimidation and terror that has cost dozens of national guards their lives". The US military said that "while Plymouth Rock is finished, the pursuit of insurgents south of Baghdad continues".
"Each and every day we are learning more and more about those participating in insurgent activity, and we are tracking them down one by one," said Colonel Ron Johnson. "No quick fix is envisioned. The solution lies in patience, persistence and sustained presence," he said.