| Iraq has quietly expanded its security responsibility to the worst areas of the Sunni Triangle. Iraqi officials said army and police forces have been given a larger role in operations in the Anbar province near the Syrian border. Al Anbar has been deemed the largest stronghold of the Sunni insurgency. "Hopefully, within 18 months at the most we will be capable of securing Iraq," Iraqi Interior Minister Falah Naqib said on Monday. "We hope that next summer, there will be a huge reduction in the numbers of multinational patrols. In some cities, there will be no foreign troops at all." Over the last week, Iraqi and U.S. forces have captured two Sunni insurgency bases around Baghdad. More than 85 insurgents were killed and about 100 others were captured. |