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October 3, 2006
Iraqi Tribes unite to drive Al Qaeda out of Anbar Province
Topics: IraqAl Qaeda fighters are being driven out of their stronghold in Anbar province by independent tribes in fierce fighting over the past 3 days. The new group known as the Anbar Rescue Council is made up of various tribes and sub-clans from Anbar province made the decision to clear the area of Al Qaeda. So far the Anbar clans have managed to kill a number of Al Qaeda operatives, including several Syrians and Saudi Arabians.
Whilst the Iraqi government believes that it is close to capturing the new leader of Al Qaeda, these tribes have turned on Al Qaeda, for they had been providing them with safe houses and support in their efforts against the presence of foreign military.
This is an extraordinary change of heart, which is still not aimed at supporting the presence of the foreigners, but is aimed at removing Al Qaeda from Iraqi soil. From Fallujah to Qaim the tribes have risen up against the presence of Al Qaeda operatives. What has driven these rebel tribes to take this action? There are many considerations, especially, religious, social and political considerations. Al Qaeda have been behind a number of attacks, including the blowing up of the Golden Mosque. The Sunni see that the attacks on their Shia brothers is not justified, and they fear that the continuing attacks on the Shia will be bad news for themselves in the future.
In the words of one Anber Province resident:
The battle has been going on for months in areas such as Qaim, where the Bou Mahal tribe drove out much of al-Qaida, angry at attacks on government ration trucks and the destruction of water plants and electricity pylons.
"People just got sick of it," said one Anbar resident. "They were setting up their own checkpoints, taking property and houses for their use. They were killing not just police and army but clerics they did not agree with and tribal leaders."
In Ramadi, Sheikh Abdul Sattar al-Rishawi, the youthful head of the Bou Risha tribe, yesterday accused al-Qaida of taking over the hospital in Ramadi and "slaughtering" injured police and soldiers. He accused the group of robbing banks and government payrolls, killing journalists and human rights workers, and carrying out highway robberies.
"[The tribal leaders] are pragmatic and follow their own interests," said one western official. "When al-Qaida arrived they had lots of money. Now they don't, and it is the government that is throwing lots of money at cities such as Ramadi. Also the al-Qaida types tend to come in with the ideology of killing everyone, which does not fit in with the way that tribal types think about fighting. In short, they are pissed off."
Posted by Maggie at October 3, 2006 3:37 AM
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- Iraqi Tribes unite to drive Al Qaeda out of Anbar Province - Oct 03, 2006
