US army brushes off Iraq attacks

US troops face up to 30 attacks a day in Iraq

The head of US Central Command has put the number of militants fighting the coalition in Iraq at no more than 5,000 and played down the danger they posed.

"There is no military threat in Iraq that can drive us out," said General John Abizaid in Tampa, Florida.

But he conceded that the militants were well-armed and determined.

Coalition forces have been out in force from Baghdad to Basra in the aftermath of Wednesday's devastating bomb attack on Italian peacekeepers in Nasiriya.

US troops shelled a dye factory on the outskirts of Baghdad for the second day running, saying it had been used as an ammunition store by militants.

Basra was flooded with British troops who mounted multiple checkpoints to monitor traffic flowing in and out of the city.

Armoured vehicles were stationed at the entrance to government buildings and flares illuminated the sky.

Basra is the capital of the southern occupation zone which incorporates Nasiriya and the Italian contingent.

'Tough and capable'

General Abizaid said he had every confidence in his troops.

"We have the best-equipped, best-trained army in the world in position in the toughest areas that we have to deal with," he said.

"The troops are confident. They're tough. They're capable."

Noting that most of the militants appeared to be followers of ousted leader Saddam Hussein, he said their strategy was not to inflict actual military defeat but to "break the will of the United States".

The violence, he said, appeared to be co-ordinated at a high level, although not yet nationally.

Attacks like that in Nasiriya were, added General Abizaid, an attempt to spread chaos and split the US-led coalition.

Thursday saw five US soldiers wounded in three attacks on US convoys in Kirkuk, outside Baghdad and near Falluja.