101st Airborne division patrol Baghdad

US soldiers from the 101st Airborne division sit in a gym being used to keep a close watch on a market overnight Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

Soldiers look through the windows of the gym in the early morning Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

Soldiers watch Iraqi women pass through a checkpoint in a Shia area where traffic is restricted Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

An Iraqi soldier checks a woman's bag at the checkpoint Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

American soldiers from the 101st Airborne patrol the Shia district Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

US 101st Airborne troops pick up men suspected of being terrorists Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne pick up another suspect in front of a crowd of boys and men Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

Iraqi soldiers search the area around a Mahdi Army arms cache uncovered by the 101st Airborne division Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

Two men are detained by Iraqi soldiers after mortars disguised as concrete blocks and kerbstones where found Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

Iraqi soldiers remove mortars from the Mahdi Army arms cache Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

101st Airborne soldiers remove mortars and other weapons from the arms cache Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian

American and Iraqi soldiers sort through weapons found in the Mahdi Army arms cache Photograph: Sean Smith/Guardian