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| Iraq |
| Al Anbar Sunni Tribe Claims It Iced 55 alQ's |
| 2006-11-26 |
| Iraq tribe says it kills dozens of Qaeda fighters RAMADI, Iraq, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Iraqi tribesmen have killed 55 al Qaeda fighters in a raid on their stronghold, the head of a tribal council in the western province of Anbar said on Sunday, but the U.S. military could not confirm the figures. The death toll from Saturday night's fighting, if confirmed, would mark an unusually fierce clash with insurgents in a province where U.S. forces regularly battle foreign fighters they say are linked to al Qaeda and other Sunni insurgents and rarely kill as many as 50 at a time. The U.S. military said in a statement it launched air strikes and fired artillery to help a tribe in the town of Sofia after an attack by al Qaeda. "Al Qaeda burned homes and killed members of the tribe using small arms fire and mortars," the military said in a statement. It gave no casualty figures. Sattar al-Buzayi, head of the Anbar Salvation Council, an umbrella group of tribes in Anbar, a vast Sunni province in the west of Iraq, said tribal fighters had raided an al Qaeda stronghold and killed 55 militants and arrested 25. He said nine tribal fighters were also killed in the clash. "We began the raid after we had successfully cornered them, we can confirm that 10 (foreign) Arab fighters were among the dead and we found several cars rigged with explosives," Buzayi told Reuters. The Anbar Salvation Council was formed two months ago by many of Anbar's tribal leaders frustrated with al Qaeda's growing influence in the violent desert province. One of Iraq's top Sunni clerics, for whom an arrest warrant was issued recently for inciting violence, recently criticised the tribes fighting al Qaeda militants. Harith al-Dari labelled the tribes "bandits" who were fighting against the "resistance". The U.S. statement quoted a tribal leader called Sheikh Ahmed of Abu Resha as saying his tribe had been targeted because it provided recruits to serve in the police force. "Al Qaeda has decided to attack the tribes due to their support. The terrorists have gone to a neighbouring tribe and have brought fighters to attack the Abu Soda (tribe)," the statement quoted him as saying. It's just their way of saying, "We love the Occupation Forces. Please don't leave us to the Shia! Pretty please?" |
| Posted by:.com |
| #8 Re #5, Glenmore - It is significant. The following is from Greyhawk @ Mudville Gazette/milblogs AR RAMADI, Iraq – Al Qaeda terrorists attacked the Abu Soda tribe in Sofia Nov. 25. In response, Coalition Forces provided support to the Abu Soda’s fight against Al Qaeda. The tribe supports the Iraqi government and in turn is receiving support when attacked. |
| Posted by: Chuck 2006-11-26 22:35 |
| #7 we can confirm that 10 (foreign) Arab fighters were among the dead Could be Yemenis, Syrians, Jordanians, even Palestinians. (I don't know if the Chechens are also considered "foreign Arabs" by the Iraqis.)Why should the Saudis get to have all the fun, Lancasters Over Dresden? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-11-26 19:21 |
| #6 It's a feel-good story for the holiday, perhaps each day it can go up one |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-11-26 18:07 |
| #5 Abu Soda tribe is getting air and artillery support? There has to be somebody on the ground with them coordinating and communicating too. So al Anbar Sunni tribes and US advisors must trust each other enough to embed - sounds significant to me. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2006-11-26 17:47 |
| #4 "... we can confirm that 10 (foreign) Arab fighters were among the dead... ." Ahem. *cough* I believe that's 10 Saudi terrs among the dead, right? |
| Posted by: Lancasters Over Dresden 2006-11-26 15:56 |
| #3 Anyway jihadis have no use for heads. |
| Posted by: JFM 2006-11-26 14:42 |
| #2 The heads of the 25 arrested 'insurgents' will be displayed on poles leading from the town, after they sign statements. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-11-26 13:59 |
| #1 As much as I want to believe in Santa Claus and dead AQ's...I think a headcount is in order. Preferably on stick. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2006-11-26 12:58 |