Major Pierre Vuotte said troops had destroyed explosives and arms collected in the area some 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of the capital.

"We carried out some controlled explosions of weapons and munitions that we collected and destroyed," he said.

"The town is very calm," he added.

Three explosions were heard after midnight and flares lit up the night sky around US military headquarters here, witnesses said.

Attacks on US troops have been frequent in Fallujah since US troops killed at least 16 townspeople in two separate incidents in late March.

The coalition has launched major search operations to root out Saddam Hussein loyalists in the region.

WAR.WIRE