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Baghdad: Iraqi forces began a major crackdown on Al Qaida-linked insurgents and militias in the northeastern Diyala province on Tuesday, officials said.
"The operations started today with raids in Baquba," Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Mohammad Al Askari said on Iraqiya state television.
"The aim is to completely cleanse Diyala province. The Iraqi army will be executing this operation," said Major-General Abdul Kareem Al Rubaie, commander of Diyala security operations.
The crackdown came as hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims gathered around Baghdad's golden-dome shrine on Tuesday for a religious event.
The pilgrims streamed toward the shrine of Imam Moussa Al Kadhim in the northern neighborhood of Kazimiyah where police set up checkpoints to conduct body searches.
Security was stepped up, with authorities imposing a vehicle ban in the city and deploying tens of thousands of police in the streets for fear of more violence.
On Monday, female bombers killed 32 people in Baghdad. Al Qaida has increasingly used female suicide bombers because they are less likely to be as thoroughly searched.
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