Scores Killed as al-Qaeda Takes More of Iraq’s Anbar Province

Iraqi Officials Claim Town Retaken, But Losses Mount

Iraqi military officials claimed to have retaken a small town on the outskirts of Fallujah, one of several that has fallen to al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) in recent days. The victory is a small one, however, and the momentum is still swinging AQI’s way.

Bombings targeted troops, AQI fighters kidnapped truck drivers on the outskirts of Baghdad, and scores of people were killed. AQI is on the move and seizing more territory in Anbar, threatening a push into Baghdad.

Police abandoned two major posts in Anbar, along the highway to Baghdad, saying that the AQI fighters have heavy arms and that requests for support were never answered.

AQI seems to be having their way with the Iraqi military at this point, though it is losing some parts of Fallujah to Sunni tribal leaders. That isn’t necessarily good news for the Maliki government either, however, as the locals in Fallujah were in open rebellion before AQI arrived and still have deep objections to the central government’s policies.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.