US troops in Iraq have detained 371 people in a new mission to hunt down loyalists to deposed President Saddam Hussein.
US Central Command said US forces had conducted raids in Baghdad and near the cities of Tikrit and Kirkuk, and had confiscated weapons and explosives.
"Operation Desert Scorpion" aims to flush out pro-Saddam fighters in the wake of deadly attacks on US forces, mainly in Baghdad and hostile towns and villages to the west and north.
The mission also aims to distribute humanitarian aid to Iraqis, but angry locals say US raids are creating hostility towards the Americans and fuelling demands for occupying forces to leave.