U.S. newspaper reports say the top American commander in Iraq has decided to send reserve troops to combat the rising insurgency in Iraq's Anbar province, west of Baghdad.

The reports in the Washington Post and the New York Times cite U.S. military officials as saying General George Casey made the decision after consulting with Iraqi officials in recent days.

The 3,500 member brigade has been stationed in reserve in Kuwait.

The officials say the decision reflects a recent surge in violence in Anbar, where al-Qaida linked terrorists are increasingly targeting local Sunni Arab leaders who cooperate with American forces.

In violence Monday, car bombings and other attacks killed nearly 50 people in Baghdad and elsewhere.

In the capital, a bomb blast targeting U.S military vehicles killed two members of a news crew for the U.S. television network CBS and seriously wounded correspondent Kimberly Dozier. CBS said Dozier underwent emergency surgery and has been evacuated to Germany for further treatment.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.