WASHINGTON, April 12: The United States will be sending two more combat brigades to Iraq to help coalition forces deal with a rapidly stiffening resistance, US military officials said on Monday.

Military officials said the brigades, comprising 10,000 troops, would allow US commanders in Iraq to maintain their troop strength at about 125,000 in the coming months.

The Bush administration had earlier described its troop strength in Iraq as unusually high and planned to bring it down to 'a manageable level'. But, apparently, the current resistance has forced the US to reconsider its plans for downsizing the troop strength.

The military officials say they still want to recall some troops but do intend to maintain at least 125,000 troops in Iraq, about 10,000 more than planned.

Meanwhile, America's commercial giant Halliburton announced on Monday that seven employees of a construction firm were missing in Iraq after a weekend attack on a convoy near Baghdad airport. The statement said all seven worked for Kellogg Brown and Root, a construction company affiliated with Halliburton.