WASHINGTON, April 8: Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Wednesday that US troops are facing a "serious problem" in Iraq as they seek to quell uprisings across the country. The defence chief said US troops due to leave Iraq are remaining in the country to stamp out the spate of uprisings and attacks against American forces.

Mr Rumsfeld stressed that apart from Najaf, Iraq was still under the control of US forces. "You have a small number of terrorists, a small number of militias, coupled with some demonstrations and some lawlessness. And it's a serious problem," Mr Rumsfeld said.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, Gen Richard Myers, asserted that the pitched battles did not represent a popular uprising by the Iraqi people, but a small number of guerillas who want to derail Iraq's reconstruction.

"It's certainly not a popular uprising or a movement supported by the majority of Iraqis," Gen Myers said. Mr Rumsfeld was repeatedly asked if more US troops were needed in Iraq to face down the rebellions. He said soldiers due to leave Iraq are remaining in the country.

"Because we're in the midst of a major troop rotation, we have a planned increase in the number of US troops in the (US Central Command) area of responsibility and indeed, in Iraq," Rumsfeld said. -AFP