Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Al-Anbar tribes join to drive out Al-Qaeda
Politics, Tribal, Security
Sheikh Sattar Abu Rishah, the head of the Al-Anbar Salvation Council, said on November 17 that several groups linked to Al-Qaeda have been driven out of Al-Anbar Governorate, the London-based "Al-Hayat" reported the same day. According to Abu Rishah, forces loyal to the council have driven out numerous Al-Qaeda-linked groups in several cities in the governorate, who have in turn fled to Samarra and cities south of Baghdad. He also said that approximately 100 Iraqis belonging to Al-Qaeda in Iraq have been captured along with more than 35 Arab fighters, most of them Syrian. The Al-Anbar Salvation Council is a coalition of several tribes set up to cleanse the governorate of Al-Qaeda elements.
COMMENT: This could be a result of tribal and political talks between the U.S. and the Sunnis, it could also be the fact that the Sunni tribes in al-Anbar have had enough of the insurgents running their towns - mainly Ramadi - and killing innocent people. It is possible that a political deal between the Sunnis and the Americans has been reached behind the scenes as the majority Shia government of al-Maliki is not furthering U.S. interests. Although most Sunnis want the U.S. out, they seem to have realised that joining forces against the insurgents such as Al-Qaeda in Iraq increases their power. However, this could all change in a heartbeat, the tribes of al-Anbar have alternately been fighting and supporting the resistance. COMMENT ENDS.
