Patriotic' ex-rebels working with US military in Iraq

Patriotic' ex-rebels working with US military in Iraq

by Jay Deshmukh 1 hour, 33 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (AFP) - American forces in Iraq are working with a Sunni former insurgent group to root out Al-Qaeda cells fighting north of Baghdad, a commander said on Saturday, branding his new allies "patriots."


Colonel David Sutherland said fighters from the Brigades of the 1920 Revolution acted as scouts and informants for US and Iraqi forces during a recent operation to secure an area around Baquba, capital of Diyala Province.

"The 1920s as they are called, again we call them Baquba Guardians," he told reporters. "We call them concerned local nationals. These are people, patriots that have come forward and joined the security process.

"They are working with my soldiers, they are working with Iraqi security forces to assist us with information with being the eyes and ears."

The 1920 Brigades, which took their name from the date of an Iraqi uprising against British rule, were founded to fight American forces in the aftermath of the March 2003 invasion, which overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein.

The group's fighters are mainly Sunni Arabs and include many former members of Saddam's army. The outfit has claimed responsibility for bomb attacks on US troops, but said it is not involved in attacks on Iraqi civilians.

In recent months there have been several reports from Baghdad and from the western province of Anbar that the 1920 Brigades are increasingly now working alongside their former foes in order to defeat Al-Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate.

While the group has denied these claims in messages on extremist websites, the apparent switch in sides comes after several Sunni tribal leaders once sympathetic to the "resistance" turned against Al-Qaeda's vicious tactics.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070825/wl_mideast_afp/iraqunrestusrebels_070825184846;_ylt=A0WTcVn5h9BGhIABPRpX6GMA

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