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| Iraq violence: PM urges Fallujah to oust militants | Iraq violence: PM urges Fallujah to oust militants |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has urged residents of the embattled city of Fallujah to force out insurgents linked to al-Qaeda who have taken control there. | Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has urged residents of the embattled city of Fallujah to force out insurgents linked to al-Qaeda who have taken control there. |
| Mr Maliki said if the people expelled what he called terrorists, they would be spared military action. | Mr Maliki said if the people expelled what he called terrorists, they would be spared military action. |
| Iraqi forces are preparing to recapture the city, which has been out of government control for days. | Iraqi forces are preparing to recapture the city, which has been out of government control for days. |
| Hundreds have already fled shelling and air strikes by government forces. | |
| Mr Maliki called on "the people of Fallujah and its tribes to expel the terrorists" so "their areas are not subjected to the danger of armed clashes", state television reported. | |
| The former Iraqi national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, has told the BBC it was impossible to defend all of Iraq from attacks by the al-Qaeda-linked militants the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, known as ISIS. | |
| "This can happen and probably will happen in future because you can't put millions and millions and millions of Iraqis under arms and protect every street all over the country. | "This can happen and probably will happen in future because you can't put millions and millions and millions of Iraqis under arms and protect every street all over the country. |
| "These guys [the militants], they are highly motivated, they are very well-trained, they can do this because they are brainwashed, their understanding of Islam is highly selective. They are brutal. They are ruthless. They are after anarchy." | |
| An adviser to the prime minister, Saad al-Mutalabi, has told the BBC that insurgents had smuggled weapons into the city from the war in neighbouring Syria. | An adviser to the prime minister, Saad al-Mutalabi, has told the BBC that insurgents had smuggled weapons into the city from the war in neighbouring Syria. |
| "Because of what is happening in Syria and the new ammunition and missiles they received from Saudi Arabia into Syria, they managed to smuggle quite a vast quantity of equipment to fight the Iraqi people." | "Because of what is happening in Syria and the new ammunition and missiles they received from Saudi Arabia into Syria, they managed to smuggle quite a vast quantity of equipment to fight the Iraqi people." |
| Fighting is also continuing in Ramadi, also in Anbar province, parts of which are in the hands of militants. | Fighting is also continuing in Ramadi, also in Anbar province, parts of which are in the hands of militants. |
| Both the US and Iran have offered military support, though not troops. | Both the US and Iran have offered military support, though not troops. |
| Emblematic | Emblematic |
| Fallujah is a highly symbolic city for many Iraqis, particularly Sunni Arabs, say correspondents. | Fallujah is a highly symbolic city for many Iraqis, particularly Sunni Arabs, say correspondents. |
| It is remembered for the battles fought there between insurgents and US-backed forces in 2004. | It is remembered for the battles fought there between insurgents and US-backed forces in 2004. |
| The latest upsurge in violence in Anbar began after troops broke up a protest camp by Sunni Arabs in the city of Ramadi last month. | The latest upsurge in violence in Anbar began after troops broke up a protest camp by Sunni Arabs in the city of Ramadi last month. |
| Separately on Sunday, bombs in the capital Baghdad left at least 19 people dead. The deadliest attack, which police and medical sources told Reuters had killed nine and wounded 25, was in the Shia district of Shaab. | Separately on Sunday, bombs in the capital Baghdad left at least 19 people dead. The deadliest attack, which police and medical sources told Reuters had killed nine and wounded 25, was in the Shia district of Shaab. |
| The fighting in Anbar comes against the backdrop of swelling anger among Sunni Arabs at what they say is their marginalisation by the Shia-led government. | The fighting in Anbar comes against the backdrop of swelling anger among Sunni Arabs at what they say is their marginalisation by the Shia-led government. |
| They say their minority community is being targeted by anti-terrorism measures implemented to stem the surge in sectarian violence. | They say their minority community is being targeted by anti-terrorism measures implemented to stem the surge in sectarian violence. |
| For many Fallujah residents, the Iraqi army is serving the "sectarian" agenda of Prime Minister Maliki's Shia-led government, says BBC Arabic analyst Ahmed Maher. | For many Fallujah residents, the Iraqi army is serving the "sectarian" agenda of Prime Minister Maliki's Shia-led government, says BBC Arabic analyst Ahmed Maher. |
| But among other Iraqis, Fallujah is also known as the "city of terrorism" as it served as the nucleus of al-Qaeda in their country. After the US-led invasion in 2003, al-Qaeda based itself in Fallujah where several beheadings and killings of foreigners took place. | But among other Iraqis, Fallujah is also known as the "city of terrorism" as it served as the nucleus of al-Qaeda in their country. After the US-led invasion in 2003, al-Qaeda based itself in Fallujah where several beheadings and killings of foreigners took place. |
| In recent months, Sunni militants have stepped up attacks across Iraq, while Shia groups began deadly reprisals - raising fears of a return to full-scale sectarian conflict. | In recent months, Sunni militants have stepped up attacks across Iraq, while Shia groups began deadly reprisals - raising fears of a return to full-scale sectarian conflict. |
| In both Fallujah and Ramadi, local Sunni tribesmen and even local police have come out against the government and army, says the BBC's Jim Muir. | |
| These are the same elements that fuelled the insurgency that followed the US-led invasion in 2003. It tapered off five years later, but levels of violence - and sectarian tensions - are now once again rising dangerously, our correspondent adds. | |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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