Obeidi, Iraq, May 14, SPA -- Large numbers of U.S. forces supportedby helicopters gathered outside this Euphrates River village Saturday as a region-wide operation to wipe out supporters of Iraq's most wanted militant continued into its seventh day. An Associated Press reporter saw a large convoy of mainlyU.S. Marines, backed by tanks, redeploy several kilometers(miles) from Rommana to Obeidi, on the river's northernbank, in a massive troop buildup that forced scaredresidents indoors. No U.S. military comment was immediately available on theObeidi operation, but it appeared to signal a continuationof the high-profile Operation Matador, launched lastSaturday in several villages close to the Syrian borderknown as major routes for foreign fighters entering Iraq tobattle coalition forces. Residents said U.S. troops blocked the main road linkingObeidi with safer areas to the east outside the field ofoperations. The campaign, the largest since insurgents were forcedfrom Fallujah six months ago, has killed more than 100suspected foreign fighters allied with Jordanian-bornmilitant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the military has said.Scores have also been captured.--SPA1151 Local Time 0851 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/262158