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Nouri al-Maliki vows to eradicate al-Qaida and its allies in Iraq Nouri al-Maliki vows to eradicate al-Qaida and its allies in Iraq
(35 minutes later)
Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has vowed to eradicate al-Qaida in his country, predicting victory on the eve of an assault against Sunni Islamist militants who have taken over parts of the city of Falluja.Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, has vowed to eradicate al-Qaida in his country, predicting victory on the eve of an assault against Sunni Islamist militants who have taken over parts of the city of Falluja.
Fighters from the al-Qaida affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which is also active across the border in Syria, overran police stations in Falluja and another city in Iraq's western Anbar province last week.Fighters from the al-Qaida affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which is also active across the border in Syria, overran police stations in Falluja and another city in Iraq's western Anbar province last week.
The campaign by al-Qaida gunmen to form a radical Islamic state in parts of Iraq and Syria has rung alarm bells in western capitals and provided further evidence that the Syrian civil war is exporting instability throughout the region.The campaign by al-Qaida gunmen to form a radical Islamic state in parts of Iraq and Syria has rung alarm bells in western capitals and provided further evidence that the Syrian civil war is exporting instability throughout the region.
In a televised address on Wednesday, Maliki also thanked the international community for its support in the fight against al-Qaida, and urged the group's members and supporters to surrender, promising clemency.In a televised address on Wednesday, Maliki also thanked the international community for its support in the fight against al-Qaida, and urged the group's members and supporters to surrender, promising clemency.
This week the US said it would fast-track deliveries of military hardware, including drones and missiles, to Iraq, but ruled out sending troops two years after Washington ended nearly 10 years of occupation.This week the US said it would fast-track deliveries of military hardware, including drones and missiles, to Iraq, but ruled out sending troops two years after Washington ended nearly 10 years of occupation.
"The support … is giving us the confidence that we are moving on the right course and that the result will be clear and decisive – uprooting this corrupt organisation," Maliki said. "We will continue this fight because we believe that al-Qaida and its allies represent evil.""The support … is giving us the confidence that we are moving on the right course and that the result will be clear and decisive – uprooting this corrupt organisation," Maliki said. "We will continue this fight because we believe that al-Qaida and its allies represent evil."
The army deployed more tanks and artillery around Falluja on Tuesday as local leaders tried to persuade militants to leave, in an effort to avert an impending offensive that has echoes of American assaults on the same city in 2004.The army deployed more tanks and artillery around Falluja on Tuesday as local leaders tried to persuade militants to leave, in an effort to avert an impending offensive that has echoes of American assaults on the same city in 2004.
The UN described the humanitarian situation in Anbar as critical: "The situation in Falluja is particularly concerning, as existing stocks of food, water and life-saving medicines begin to run out," Nikolay Mladenov, the UN envoy to Iraq, said in a statement.The UN described the humanitarian situation in Anbar as critical: "The situation in Falluja is particularly concerning, as existing stocks of food, water and life-saving medicines begin to run out," Nikolay Mladenov, the UN envoy to Iraq, said in a statement.
Nevertheless, community leaders in Falluja, after forming a local administration and appointing a new police chief and mayor, have asked residents who fled the city to return and go back to work.Nevertheless, community leaders in Falluja, after forming a local administration and appointing a new police chief and mayor, have asked residents who fled the city to return and go back to work.
"I decided to return to Falluja because I believe there will be a peaceful solution," said Munim Abdul-Salam, a teacher with three sons and a daughter. "I spent three days with my family in a camp and it's really humiliating.""I decided to return to Falluja because I believe there will be a peaceful solution," said Munim Abdul-Salam, a teacher with three sons and a daughter. "I spent three days with my family in a camp and it's really humiliating."
In an audio recording released late on Tuesday, Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, speaking for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, urged Iraq's Sunnis not to lay down their arms or compromise with the Shia-led government. It is unclear how many fighters the group has in Falluja, or how much support they might have from disgruntled tribes in the area. In an audio recording released late on Tuesday, Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, speaking for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, urged Iraq's Sunnis not to lay down their arms or compromise with the Shia-led government. It is unclear how many fighters the group has in Falluja, or how much support they have from disgruntled tribes in the area.
Militant Islamists have been regaining ground over the past year in Anbar, with a stated aim of creating a Sunni religious state straddling the border into Syria's rebel-held eastern desert provinces.Militant Islamists have been regaining ground over the past year in Anbar, with a stated aim of creating a Sunni religious state straddling the border into Syria's rebel-held eastern desert provinces.
Security forces backed by tribal fighters wrested back control over the provincial capital, Ramadi, on Monday, but fighting continued on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday, military sources said.Security forces backed by tribal fighters wrested back control over the provincial capital, Ramadi, on Monday, but fighting continued on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday, military sources said.
"Anbari tribes around Ramadi are still not allowing our forces to enter their areas … they are still not trusting Iraqi security forces," said the official. "It's a dilemma for us to separate them from al-Qaida fighters, and that's exactly the reason why the mission in Ramadi has not been accomplished yet.""Anbari tribes around Ramadi are still not allowing our forces to enter their areas … they are still not trusting Iraqi security forces," said the official. "It's a dilemma for us to separate them from al-Qaida fighters, and that's exactly the reason why the mission in Ramadi has not been accomplished yet."
Maliki described the group's pledge to re-take territory lost to American troops as a "dream of satan" and said the militants were intent on derailing elections scheduled for April. He said al-Qaida was seeking "to totally cripple the political process and to hamper the rebuilding not only in Iraq but the entire region". Maliki described the group's pledge to retake territory lost to American troops as a "dream of Satan" and said the militants were intent on derailing elections scheduled for April. He said al-Qaida was seeking "to totally cripple the political process and to hamper the rebuilding not only in Iraq but the entire region".
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