US plans to boost Baghdad troops-defencse official

WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) The United States is likely to move more than 1,000 troops into Baghdad from elsewhere in Iraq, a US defence official said today.

The official said the shift would involve ''a couple of battalions.'' A typical US battalion contains some 600 to 800 troops.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not specify where the battalions would come from, but said they would not be Marines from the restive western province of Anbar.

ABC News reported yesterday that military chiefs were considering shifting the Marine-dominated US force in Anbar to Baghdad to try to stem high levels of sectarian violence in the capital.

The United States has around 139,000 troops in Iraq.

REUTERS PB RN2340