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U.S. Deploying Troops to Previously Peaceful Iraqi Province of Anbar |
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Written by Staff
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Tuesday, 30 May 2006 |
In response to escalating violence in Iraq's Anbar province, the United States has ordered the activation of 3,500 U.S. reserve troops currently based in Kuwait. It is hoped that the new deployment will be successful in re-gaining control from the increasingly powerful insurgency in the area.
Situated on the borders of Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, Anbar is the largest province in Iraq and until the first part of 2006 coalition forces had successfully gained control of the region and residents enjoyed a period of calm and stability. The last several months however have seen a rise in insurgency activity along with an increase in sectarian violence. Rumours suggest that Iraqi al-Queda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been orchestrating the uprisings.
Unidentified sources told the American news service CNN that large parts of Anbar are now controlled by the insurgents and under al-Zarqawi's instructions, anyone entering the U.S. base at Al-Asad is to be killed thereby causing local leaders in the region to lose confidence in the ability of the United States to protect them.
Anbar province is home to a large Sunni Muslim population. |
