BBC
The US military in Iraq has said 10,000 US and Iraqi troops are taking part in an operation against al-Qaeda networks north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
The troops were said to be moving in and around the city of Baquba in Diyala province, which is considered to be an al-Qaeda stronghold.
The US military said 22 militants had been killed early in the offensive, called Operation Arrowhead Ripper.
Diyala province has seen some of the worst violence in Iraq this year.
Insurgent groups have moved there in the face of the US troop build-up in Baghdad.
The latest operation's strategy is the same as in Baghdad - clear, hold and build, according to the BBC's Andrew North in Baghdad.
US troops do the initial clearing and Iraqi forces hold areas afterwards, followed by rebuilding efforts to win people over, he says.
But the approach has met with mixed success in Baghdad so far and, as has happened so often, the insurgents respond by simply moving elsewhere, our correspondent adds....
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