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Al Anbar Governorate

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Al Anbar Governorate
Arabic: محافظة الأنبار
Governorate
Location of Al Anbar Governorate
CountryIraq
CapitalRamadi
Area
 • Total138,501 km2 (53,476 sq mi)
Population
 (2008)
 • Total2,665,000
Main language(s)Arabic

Al Anbar (Arabic: الأنبار; al-’Anbār or Anbar) is the largest province in Iraq geographically. Encompassing much of the country's western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Al Anbar is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim Arab. Its capital is Ar Ramadi.

The name of the province is from the Arabic انبار, ’Anbār, and means "granaries," in Arabic as this region was the primary entrepot on the western borders of Lakhmid Kingdom.

Before 1976 the province was known as Ramadi; before 1962, it was known as Dulaim.

People

All the inhabitants are Sunni Muslims from the Dulaim tribe. [1]

Geography of Al Anbar

Al Anbar

The Euphrates River flows diagonally from the north to the southeast, passing through six of the eight districts:

  • Ar Rutba district forms the majority of the Governorate's area, occupying the large desert area in the southwest.

Weapons in Al Anbar

According to recent statistics, There are an estimated 20 million weapons in Al Anbar, opposed to an estimated population of 2 million, according to official reports, a ratio of ten firearms for every citizen. It's traditional for Dulaim tribe members to keep weapons at home. The arms included mortars, surface-to-air missiles, anti-tank shells, rocket-propelled grenades as well as large quantities of mines, explosives and ammunition.

Iraq War events in Al Anbar

The city of Fallujah is also in Anbar. The Iraqi resistance was widely considered to be stronger in this province than in any other in Iraq, and was the most hostile against American forces.[1]

In late 2003 to 2007, a series of operations by US forces, was not successful in driving resistance from Anbar. Additionally, in early 2006, several clans — some including resistance groups raids against Americans forces in the area, the increase of sectarian violence in Baghdad(that pushed many of the Sunni Dulaimi clans back into alliances with militants) and the continued resistance control of several cities in Anbar showed that fighting in the region was far from over. Reports in March 2006 suggested that the Anbar capital Ramadi had largely fallen under resistance control along with most of the region, as a result the US sent an additional 3,500 Marines to re-establish control of the region.[2]

The Iraq war website casualties has reported that 1,842 Iraqi soldier and 2,220 US Soldier and 7,542 Mercenary were killed in action in Anbar province between the start of 2004 and the end of February 2006. Many of these died in and around Fallujah and Ramadi.

Anbar, with Ramadi and Haditha and Hīt and Al Qa'im and Fallujah and Haqlaniyah and Khaldiya in particular, is known for its inhabitants' strong tribal and religious traditions. Allegedly, former President Saddam Hussein was constantly wary of the volatile nature of the area. All the inhabitants of the province are Sunni Muslims from the Dulaim tribe.

The Washington Post reported on September 11, 2006 that, according to a recent U. S. Marine Corps secret report, "The prospects for securing that country's western Anbar province are dim and there is almost nothing the U.S. military can do there. Reporting that there are no functioning Iraqi government institutions in Anbar, leaving a vacuum that has been filled by the Resistance groups, which has become the province's most significant political force. Another person familiar with the report said it describes Anbar as beyond repair; a third said it concludes that the United States has been defeated in Anbar."[3]

US air strikes have killed one of the Dulaimi sheikh in the city of Mahmoudiyah southern Baghdad , as a result the entire anbar residents join to Al Qaeda and the armed groups fighting the Americans forces from the Husaiba to Ramadi.

According to local government, tribal resistance had yet to materialize and Islamist forces affiliated with the Shura Council (an umbrella organization represent a number of resistance factions) staged military parades in cities throughout Anbar province including Ramadi and Haqlaniyah and Fallujah.[4]

In November another U.S. military report was filed, confirming the earlier warning that Anbar was falling under resistance control. The report stated that "the social and political situation has deteriorated to a point that U.S. and Iraqi troops are no longer capable of militarily defeating the insurgency in al-Anbar," and that "nearly all government institutions from the village to provincial levels have disintegrated or have been thoroughly corrupted and infiltrated by Al Qaeda in Iraq, or a smattering of other resistance groups." leaving the insurgency and al-Qaeda in Iraq as the "dominant organization of influence in al-Anbar," [1]

After five years of fighting the American Army and Iraqi government, Anbar Sheikhs was completely loyalty to the armed groups, until Al Qaeda started killing Innocents and tribal leaders and scholars, Al Qaeda Organization killed Sheikh Buzaigh Abu Risha leader of the Al-Bu Risha clan (one clan of Dulaim tribe).
Sheikh Abu Risha the son of Sheikh Buzaigh, returned to Iraq asking for revenge, Abu Risha persuade Anbar Sheikhs to stop fighting the Iraqi government and expel Al Qaeda from Anbar.
Sheikh Abu Risha with 60 thousand man from his tribe, in 40 days expelled Al Qaeda from Anbar.

In late 2007 the United States changed strategies in Anbar, negotiating with tribal leaders, with Sheikh abu risha and agreement on, establish iraqi police in Anbar and withdraw from cities of Anbar and stop fighting the Iraqi government and American army and release the sunni arrestees and establish local government in anbar similar to kurdistan.

After the Americans forces Stop attacking and bombing The Sunni Towns and cities included ramadi, A recent New York Times article describes Anbar as, "undergoing a surprising transformation. Violence is ebbing in many areas, shops and schools are reopening, police forces are growing." It continues, "Yet for all the indications of a heartening turnaround in Anbar, the situation, as it appeared during more than a week spent with American troops in Ramadi and Falluja in early April, is at best uneasy and fragile,", citing a lack of municipal services, weak local government, and failure to stop all the insurgent attacks. Still, "There are some people who would say we've won the war out here. I'm cautiously optimistic as we're going forward." [5]

Today the Anbar military forces and Anbar police which formed by sheikh Abu Risha and sheikhs, Control on Al-Anbar region.

Cities and The Population

According to statistics of the Ministry of Commerce in 1999, there about 1.5 million inhabitants in seven major cities in Al Anbar province. According to statistics in 2008 the population had increased to 2,665,000.

According to the former regime in 2003 just the city of Fallujah (650,000) and Ramadi (700,000) exceed 1.3 million people.

According to the election for the council governorate, The largely Sunni province is one of the most violent Against the occupation in Iraq and turnout was very low. Of the total population of some 2 million only 3775 voted.

According to UN statistics in 2004 the population of Al Anbar is 1,328,776.[6] But the governor of Al Anbar Maamoon Sami Rasheed al-Alwani says "The UN statistics are incorrect and there no statistics included all the cities and towns in Al Anbar".

According to the Iraqi government in 2008 The population in seven major cities in Al Anbar is 1,460,130.

Number of the population is unknown, and there are no precise statistics Include all of the cities and towns and villages and the people of Anbar. just in the Abu Ghraib district eastern Al Anbar Between Baghdad and Fallujah There between 750,000 and 1.5 million inhabitants.

According to the former regime, Al-Anbar province inhabit by 3,549,000 people.[7]

In the 1920, Baghdad province had 250,000 people and Dulaim province (Anbar) had also 250,000 people from 2 million people Are the Iraqi people at that time, today Baghdad province has 7 million people. and It is believed that the total population of Anbar, between 2 to 6 million people, there are no precise statistics because Anbar was dangerous area from the Sixties and the majority of the residents living on the riversides of the euphrates outside the cities and the towns, However it sure there between 750,000 and 1.5 million inhabitants in Abu Ghraib district part of . THen again there are two Abu Ghraibs . Avbu graibs as it is known in the population, includs parts of baghdad governate, in all this includes abot 1,5 millions, while tabu ghraib district in anbar has much less population, and there between 1.9 million and 2.9 million inhabitants in the other districts of Al Anbar.[8] It may be right that Baghdad had only 250.000 thousands in 1920ies, but then again , iraqs population has grown to thirty millions, while baghdads population accounted only for 10% of the population unitil the sixties, it has absorbed up to 25%-30% of iraqs population, including people migrating from anbar to baghdad. Also there were a mere 800.000 who had been registred for the december 2005 elections. There are no indications supporting the argument that anbar has up to six millions. Several hundreds of thousands has left the province in the last couple of years or have been killed as a result of the war. The iraqi regime misled the un agency by giving a bigger population size.

The most important cities

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Multi-National Force Iraq - Al-Anbar
  2. ^ Knickmeyer, Ellen (2006-05-30). "U.S. Will Reinforce Troops in West Iraq". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-06-18. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. ^ Ricks, Thomas E (2006-09-11). "Situation Called Dire in West Iraq". Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
  4. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15362568/
  5. ^ Anbar province revitalized as it tames insurgents - Seattle Times
  6. ^ UN Data 2003
  7. ^ According to the former regime,
    Fallujah district 926,000
    Ramadi district 780,000
    Abu Ghraib district 750,000
    Hīt district 500,000
    Al-Qa'im district 270,000
    Haditha district 150,000
    Ar Rutba district 120,000
    Anah district 53,000.
  8. ^ Marvellous Mesopotamia, The world's wonderland, by Toseph T.Parfit M.A, Page 15
  9. ^ Travis L Patriquin - Iraq War Heroes
  10. ^ A Second Bad Day - The World Newser
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