BAGHDAD, Jan 10: Iraqi troops sealed off a notorious Sunni militants stronghold in central Baghdad on Wednesday after a day of heavy fighting in which at least 50 militants were killed, officials said.

The battle forced hundreds of Iraqi and US troops to deploy on the streets and kept most residents indoors, witnesses said, as Iraqi soldiers remained in place in order to secure the area for a second day.

The Iraqi army, backed by US forces, fighter jets and helicopter gun ships, launched a massive operation on Tuesday aimed at flushing out Sunni militants holed up in Haifa Street, but by nightfall the sound of gunfire had died down.

Although sporadic gunshots continued to reverberate around the Haifa Street area on Wednesday, Iraqi and US officials said the situation was quiet.

“The fighting has eased now and the Iraqi army has sealed off the entire area,” defence ministry spokesman Ibrahim Shaker said.

“It is very quiet. The 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi army is there and they’re holding the terrain that they took yesterday. There has been no follow on of offensive operations today,” said US Lt-Col Scott Bleichwehl.

But he did not confirm that the operation was over.

“We always maintain the capability to go after those illegal militias and those who are trying to subvert the Iraqi government, so that doesn’t mean that operation is over but it has been quiet today,” Bleichwehl said.

The US military said around 1,000 Iraqi and US troops took part in the Haifa Street raid, less than two kilometres (just over a mile) from the heavily fortified Green Zone -- seat of the Iraqi government and the US embassy.

Bleichwehl said there had been coalition soldiers, including Americans, who were wounded in the operation on Tuesday but he declined to provide numbers.

“Attack helicopters and fixed wing aircraft were used in support of this operation,” the military said.

The Iraqi defence ministry said on Tuesday that 21 insurgents, including foreign Arab nationals, were arrested during the operation.

“There are some terrorist groups threatening Baghdad and they have hideouts in Haifa Street,” Dabbagh told reporters.

“This area should be cleaned very quickly to stop security deterioration.” The Haifa Street battle underscored the precarious security situation in the capital -- one of the key issues to be addressed by US President George W.—AFP