| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anbar’s
Sunni police force: A role model to
look up to |
Posted By Karima
Saifullah
Last year, Iraq’s western Anbar
province was the most dangerous in the
war-torn country.
The Sunni-dominated province -- the
largest in Iraq; sharing a border with
Syria, Jordan (undefined), and Saudi
Arabia -- has witnessed some of the
worst attacks since the 2003 U.S.-led
invasion.
U.S. occupation forces were often
targeted. Residents in the local
capital, Ramadi, were forced to remain
home to stay alive.
But last summer, Sunni tribal leader
Sheikh Abdulsattar Abu Risha gathered
his fellow tribal chiefs and formed a
strong police force in an attempt to
restore security in the province.
Under the umbrella of the Anbar
Salvation Council, Abu Risha’s
initiative showed early signs of
success. About 200 young men from Abu
Risha’s tribe first signed up as
police recruits last year, and after
two months of basic training in
Jordan, they took to the streets.
"The situation (in Anbar) was
unbearable before, people were
tortured, shot dead, bodies littered
the streets. We couldn't even leave
our homes to bury the dead," Abu
Risha told Reuters.
About 20,000 police are now deployed
in the province, where 15 large police
stations have been revived and are
being controlled by the provincial
police chief.
"I joined the police force so
that we can protect ourselves, and
defend our tribes from the terrorist
groups,” said Nizar Mahmoud, 30.
U.S. military commanders say the
number of car bombings in Anbar,
especially Ramadi, has fallen. And for
the first time since the war began,
U.S. military deaths in the province
are fewer than in Baghdad, where a
two-month security crackdown involving
extra U.S. troops failed to halt
violence or reduce the civilian death
toll.
"The number of attacks and
incidents across the entire province
has dropped significantly," said
Brigadier-General Mark Gurganus, the
U.S. Marine commander in charge of
ground operations in Anbar.
At a news conference in Washington on
Thursday, the U.S. commander in Iraq,
General David Petraeus, praised Abu
Risha and other Sunni tribal leaders,
saying that they "helped
transform Anbar province and other
areas from being assessed as lost as
little as six months ago to being
relatively heartening."
Ramadi residents also noticed the
changes. More people could now be seen
shopping at outdoor markets. Students
are returning to schools. Patrols in
blue-and-white police vehicles with
machine guns mounted on the top rumble
along Ramadi's streets.
Police said when they first started
patrolling the streets, residents
threw flowers at them.
"God protect you. God save
you," a woman yelled at a passing
patrol last week. A young boy also
signaled the 'v' sign for victory at
the patrol.
Abu Risha said life had improved in
Anbar but there was more to do.
"The Americans kind of failed in
securing this area. But we know where
the (rebels) hide," he said.
"Once we've got more weapons,
we'll continue with the
crushing."
In addition to restoring peace to one
of the most dangerous provinces in
Iraq, the Anbar initiative shows that
U.S. troops could withdraw from the
war-torn country once security is
handed over to the Iraqis. If a
determined, relatively small police
force succeeded in halting violence in
Anbar, then the Iraqi army is
certainly capable of restoring peace
to the whole country.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|