Insurgents fight terrorists.

Gunnie Ed · 11-11-2005, 06:25 PM

November 10, 2005

BY MOHAMMED AL DULAIMY
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS

RAMADI, Iraq -- Al Qaeda in Iraq, the terrorist group headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has broken with local Sunni insurgent groups in central Iraq, in some cases resulting in gun battles on the street.

On Sunday, fighting between insurgent groups started at a central intersection in war-torn Ramadi -- the capital of the Sunni heartland province of Anbar. As many as two dozen men fired automatic weapons and blasted away with shoulder-mounted rockets as Al Qaeda in Iraq ambushed members of three local groups.

Eyewitnesses and Sunni insurgents said it was a fight between groups that would have been considered allies three months ago. One Al Qaeda in Iraq fighter was killed, and an unknown number on each side were injured.

The groups have fallen into disputes about money and tactics, including over whether to participate in Iraq's political system. Residents say they think the strong support that Al Qaeda in Iraq has had in the heart of Anbar province is starting to fracture. The group is dominated by non-Iraqis.

Staff Sgt. Don Dees, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said he wasn't aware of the situation and couldn't comment.

It's hard to gauge the impact of a split among insurgent groups on the U.S. war effort. But a split in Ramadi could blunt the influence of Al Qaeda in Iraq, as the city in the so-called Sunni Triangle generally is seen as the heart of the group's power in the country. The group has taken credit for many of the country's more vicious terrorist attacks.

Kamil Ahmed, a 40-year-old resident with long-standing ties to local insurgent groups, said the break started in the summer, when Al Qaeda in Iraq started killing police who showed up for work, breaking an insurgent agreement to let the officers do their jobs.

The split intensified when the group assassinated several sheikhs for criticizing its actions. Insurgent groups also went against Al Qaeda in Iraq and urged citizens to vote in the constitutional referendum in October and in the upcoming December national elections.

Ahmed said the final straw was about money. He said businesses and even some government offices around Ramadi had been paying local insurgents protection money, as much as $70,000 a month. Al Qaeda in Iraq demanded the money.

"What we have now is a very severe split. Open warfare isn't far behind," he said.

By Monday, Al Qaeda in Iraq was calling for the assassinations of leaders, members and so-called spies from the Iraqi Islamic Army, one of the nation's largest insurgent groups, along with the Revolutionary Group and the Ramadi-based Abu Khatab.

"Spies" means people who cooperate with coalition forces, for instance by reporting a roadside bomb in Ramadi.

Local insurgent groups preach fighting only against coalition forces. They claim that Al Qaeda in Iraq's insistence on killing Iraqis has cost it much of its local support.

Hassan al Ani, 34, is a policeman who can't do his job safely these days. Several of his coworkers have been killed.

"The local insurgents just want their city back," he said. "Al Qaeda is full of men who want to die. I do not know how you defeat that."

Chalabi's role: Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi offered Wednesday to be questioned by the U.S. Senate about his role in prewar Iraq but refused to apologize for fueling allegations that Saddam Hussein had hidden caches of weapons of mass destruction.

Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., urged the Senate and House intelligence committees to subpoena Chalabi, who is visiting Washington this week and next, about allegations that he provided false information about Hussein's weapons and leaked secrets to Iran.

Marine killed: The U.S. command announced Wednesday that a U.S. Marine died of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle two days earlier in western Iraq. The death brings to 2,055 the number of U.S. military service members who have died since the start of the war in 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Civilians killed: The U.S. military said Wednesday that some Iraqi civilians were killed in Husaybah when a U.S. jet attacked a house used by insurgents Monday, not realizing noncombatants were inside. The town near the border with Syria was the site of a U.S. and Iraqi offensive this week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.freep.com/news/nw/iraq10e_20051110.htm

troy2000 · 11-14-2005, 10:32 PM

I'm not surprised; the Al Queda boys seem to just want to kill people period, and aren't too choosy about who they go after. I'm surprised it's taken this long for the split.

I'm also grimly amused by the furor by the furor in the Arab world about the Jordanian bombings. That many innocent people have been getting blown up almost daily in Iraq, and no one in the other Muslim countries seemed to care. Maybe because they were Shi'a instead of Sunni?

11-11-2005, 06:25 PM	#1
Gunnie Ed Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: three clicks left of center. Posts: 811	Insurgents fight terrorists. November 10, 2005 BY MOHAMMED AL DULAIMY KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS RAMADI, Iraq -- Al Qaeda in Iraq, the terrorist group headed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has broken with local Sunni insurgent groups in central Iraq, in some cases resulting in gun battles on the street. On Sunday, fighting between insurgent groups started at a central intersection in war-torn Ramadi -- the capital of the Sunni heartland province of Anbar. As many as two dozen men fired automatic weapons and blasted away with shoulder-mounted rockets as Al Qaeda in Iraq ambushed members of three local groups. Eyewitnesses and Sunni insurgents said it was a fight between groups that would have been considered allies three months ago. One Al Qaeda in Iraq fighter was killed, and an unknown number on each side were injured. The groups have fallen into disputes about money and tactics, including over whether to participate in Iraq's political system. Residents say they think the strong support that Al Qaeda in Iraq has had in the heart of Anbar province is starting to fracture. The group is dominated by non-Iraqis. Staff Sgt. Don Dees, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said he wasn't aware of the situation and couldn't comment. It's hard to gauge the impact of a split among insurgent groups on the U.S. war effort. But a split in Ramadi could blunt the influence of Al Qaeda in Iraq, as the city in the so-called Sunni Triangle generally is seen as the heart of the group's power in the country. The group has taken credit for many of the country's more vicious terrorist attacks. Kamil Ahmed, a 40-year-old resident with long-standing ties to local insurgent groups, said the break started in the summer, when Al Qaeda in Iraq started killing police who showed up for work, breaking an insurgent agreement to let the officers do their jobs. The split intensified when the group assassinated several sheikhs for criticizing its actions. Insurgent groups also went against Al Qaeda in Iraq and urged citizens to vote in the constitutional referendum in October and in the upcoming December national elections. Ahmed said the final straw was about money. He said businesses and even some government offices around Ramadi had been paying local insurgents protection money, as much as $70,000 a month. Al Qaeda in Iraq demanded the money. "What we have now is a very severe split. Open warfare isn't far behind," he said. By Monday, Al Qaeda in Iraq was calling for the assassinations of leaders, members and so-called spies from the Iraqi Islamic Army, one of the nation's largest insurgent groups, along with the Revolutionary Group and the Ramadi-based Abu Khatab. "Spies" means people who cooperate with coalition forces, for instance by reporting a roadside bomb in Ramadi. Local insurgent groups preach fighting only against coalition forces. They claim that Al Qaeda in Iraq's insistence on killing Iraqis has cost it much of its local support. Hassan al Ani, 34, is a policeman who can't do his job safely these days. Several of his coworkers have been killed. "The local insurgents just want their city back," he said. "Al Qaeda is full of men who want to die. I do not know how you defeat that." Chalabi's role: Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi offered Wednesday to be questioned by the U.S. Senate about his role in prewar Iraq but refused to apologize for fueling allegations that Saddam Hussein had hidden caches of weapons of mass destruction. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., urged the Senate and House intelligence committees to subpoena Chalabi, who is visiting Washington this week and next, about allegations that he provided false information about Hussein's weapons and leaked secrets to Iran. Marine killed: The U.S. command announced Wednesday that a U.S. Marine died of injuries suffered when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle two days earlier in western Iraq. The death brings to 2,055 the number of U.S. military service members who have died since the start of the war in 2003, according to an Associated Press count. Civilians killed: The U.S. military said Wednesday that some Iraqi civilians were killed in Husaybah when a U.S. jet attacked a house used by insurgents Monday, not realizing noncombatants were inside. The town near the border with Syria was the site of a U.S. and Iraqi offensive this week. The Associated Press contributed to this report. http://www.freep.com/news/nw/iraq10e_20051110.htm __________________ http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y95.../warinmine.gif

11-14-2005, 10:32 PM	#2
troy2000 Resident Armed Liberal Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southern California Posts: 10,014 Images: 9	I'm not surprised; the Al Queda boys seem to just want to kill people period, and aren't too choosy about who they go after. I'm surprised it's taken this long for the split. I'm also grimly amused by the furor by the furor in the Arab world about the Jordanian bombings. That many innocent people have been getting blown up almost daily in Iraq, and no one in the other Muslim countries seemed to care. Maybe because they were Shi'a instead of Sunni?