RAMADI, Iraq (AP) - A U.S. gunship fired at suspected insurgents as hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops pushed into an eastern section of one of Iraq's most violent cities early Monday, the latest step in a campaign to bolster their presence in neighborhoods largely under insurgent control.An AC-130 Spectre gunship fired on suspected insurgents in the initial hours of the operation, U.S. commanders on the ground said. Six men were thought to have been killed, and sporadic gunfire between U.S. troops and insurgent snipers echoed throughout the neighborhood.
No U.S. casualties were initially reported.
The operation was launched to establish a new outpost in the eastern Mulaab neighborhood of the city that would allow U.S. and Iraqi troops to better patrol a troublesome area where insurgents have frequently attacked. The outpost would be less than a mile deeper into the city from their current base. ``It's one of the first steps to moving into areas of the city that have not had a large coalition or Iraqi presence for a long time, if ever,'' said Col. Sean MacFarland, commander of the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division that oversees the city.
Soldiers also scoured through dozens of homes in the area, finding several weapons caches and equipment used to construct roadside bombs.
During a similar operation on Sunday, U.S. troops erected two outposts in the southern half of the city to allow Iraqi soldiers to begin patrolling an area that has rarely seen any U.S. or Iraqi forces. U.S. commanders said the move wasn't the precursor to a rumored offensive to drive insurgents from Ramadi - but rather an ``isolation'' tactic to prevent the fighters from receiving arms and reinforcements from outside.