Iraqi security forces launched an operation Thursday (August 30th) involving 300 soldiers to locate al-Qaeda cells, the Defence Ministry reported.

"The operation began this morning after the army received important intelligence about terrorist activities in agricultural areas south of Baghdad, which are now relatively calm," Maj. Gen. Nasser al-Ghannam, commander of Iraqi army's 17th Division, told Al-Shorfa.

"The army is using trained police dogs for the first time to track down caches of weapons and explosives," he said.

He said the co-operation of local residents during the early hours of the campaign led to the arrest of three suspects.