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Washington: US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on May 15 that security is "the number one priority in Iraq", but there is no truth in media reports that US soldiers have orders to shoot looters on sight.

US ground forces will remain in Iraq to provide security "as best as is possible", Rumsfeld said, adding the US is increasing the number of its military police soldiers in Baghdad, and troops of the 1st Armoured Division will flow into Iraq shortly.

Even though major combat operations are over in Iraq, "it's still a very dangerous place where considerable difficult work remains to be done", said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers who was present alongside Rumsfeld.

Myers also announced a major raid by US troops on an alleged Saddam Hussein regime safe house in a village South of Tikrit. Initial reports indicated that several dozen individuals have been detained, he said.

Through a video conference from Baghdad, General Buford Blount, the commander of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, said US soldiers will do whatever is necessary to provide assistance to people, including garbage disposal, medical aid, and ordnance removal.

"Security is our number one concern," Blount said, adding that his troops are dealing with both a criminal element and with Saddam Hussein loyalists who are trying to undermine coalition work.

PTI