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| Iraq chiefs vow to fight al-Qaeda | Iraq chiefs vow to fight al-Qaeda |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Iraqi tribal chiefs in the so-called Sunni Triangle have agreed to join forces to fight al-Qaeda, and have pleaded for US supplies of arms. | Iraqi tribal chiefs in the so-called Sunni Triangle have agreed to join forces to fight al-Qaeda, and have pleaded for US supplies of arms. |
| One leader said tribes in the city of Ramadi had assembled 20,000 men "ready to purge the city of these infidels". | One leader said tribes in the city of Ramadi had assembled 20,000 men "ready to purge the city of these infidels". |
| Ramadi, in Anbar province, is one of the cities at the heart of the Sunni rebellion against US troops and Iraqis. | Ramadi, in Anbar province, is one of the cities at the heart of the Sunni rebellion against US troops and Iraqis. |
| At least 30 people were killed in two bomb attacks in Iraq on Monday, police said, including 13 in Ramadi. | |
| According to one report, a suicide bomber attacked volunteers who were queuing up at an Iraqi police recruitment centre in the city. | |
| Meanwhile, in the northern city of Talafar, at least 17 people died when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a busy market just before dark. | |
| 'Unbearable' | 'Unbearable' |
| Tribal leaders and clerics in Ramadi met last week to decide how to confront the daily bloodshed in their city. | Tribal leaders and clerics in Ramadi met last week to decide how to confront the daily bloodshed in their city. |
| "People are fed up with the acts of those criminals who take Islam as a cover for their crimes," Sheik Fassal al-Guood told the Associated Press news agency on Monday. | "People are fed up with the acts of those criminals who take Islam as a cover for their crimes," Sheik Fassal al-Guood told the Associated Press news agency on Monday. |
| "The situation in the province is unbearable, the city is abandoned, most of the families have fled the city and all services are poor." | "The situation in the province is unbearable, the city is abandoned, most of the families have fled the city and all services are poor." |
| He said 15 of the 18 tribes in Ramadi "have sworn to fight those who are killing Sunnis and Shiites", and had put together "20,000 young men". | He said 15 of the 18 tribes in Ramadi "have sworn to fight those who are killing Sunnis and Shiites", and had put together "20,000 young men". |
| Another sheikh at the meeting, Sattar al-Buzayi, told Reuters that the tribal leaders had decided to take the fight to the Islamist militants who control parts of Ramadi and Anbar province. | Another sheikh at the meeting, Sattar al-Buzayi, told Reuters that the tribal leaders had decided to take the fight to the Islamist militants who control parts of Ramadi and Anbar province. |
| "We have now entered a real battle. It's either us or them," he said. | "We have now entered a real battle. It's either us or them," he said. |
| 'Proud to kill' | 'Proud to kill' |
| "We just want to live like everyone else. We're sick of all this bloodshed," said one Ramadi resident, voicing anger at al-Qaeda. | "We just want to live like everyone else. We're sick of all this bloodshed," said one Ramadi resident, voicing anger at al-Qaeda. |
| However, a young al-Qaeda leader called Abu Farouq told Reuters that the fight would go on until an Islamic caliphate had been imposed across Anbar. | However, a young al-Qaeda leader called Abu Farouq told Reuters that the fight would go on until an Islamic caliphate had been imposed across Anbar. |
| US and Iraqi soldiers have come under constant attack in Anbar | US and Iraqi soldiers have come under constant attack in Anbar |
| "This tribal system is un-Islamic. We are proud to kill tribal leaders who are helping the Americans," he said. | "This tribal system is un-Islamic. We are proud to kill tribal leaders who are helping the Americans," he said. |
| Nonetheless, a US military spokesman, Maj Gen William Caldwell, said: "We're very optimistic about the future of that province." | Nonetheless, a US military spokesman, Maj Gen William Caldwell, said: "We're very optimistic about the future of that province." |
| "But victory will not occur in the next 2-3 months, it's going to be a much longer time period." | "But victory will not occur in the next 2-3 months, it's going to be a much longer time period." |
| Meanwhile, the trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has resumed in Baghdad. | Meanwhile, the trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has resumed in Baghdad. |
| A former Kurdish rebel told the court that he still lived in "pain and suffering" after his village was bombed with chemical gas by Iraqi forces in 1988. | A former Kurdish rebel told the court that he still lived in "pain and suffering" after his village was bombed with chemical gas by Iraqi forces in 1988. |
| He said the attack left him unconscious for weeks and temporarily blind, and that it killed many people in his village. | He said the attack left him unconscious for weeks and temporarily blind, and that it killed many people in his village. |