Al Anbar Province

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Al Anbar Province Arabic: محافظة الأنبار
Coordinates: 32°54′N 41°36′E / 32.9, 41.6
Country	Iraq
Capital	Ramadi
Area
- Governorate	138,501 km²  (53,475.5 sq mi)
Population
- Governorate	Unknown
Main language(s)	Arabic

Al Anbar (Arabic: الأنبار; al-’Anbār or Anbar) is a Western Region of Iraq. The largest province in Iraq by area, it has 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. The famous Sunni theologian Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man, who developed Hanafi, one of the Sunni Madh'habs (schools of thought) is associated with this region.

Before 1976 the province was known as Ramadi; before 1962, it was known as Dulaim.^[1]

Contents 1 People 2 Geography of Al Anbar 3 Weapons in Al Anbar 4 Iraq War events in Al Anbar 5 Cities and The Population 5.1 The most important cities 6 Other websites 7 Sources

[change] People

All the inhabitants are Sunni Muslims from Dulaim tribe.

[change] Geography of Al Anbar

The Euphrates River flows diagonally from the north to the southeast, passing through six of the eight districts; Al-Qa'im, Anah, Haditha, Hīt, Ramadi, Fallujah, Abu Ghraib, Ar Rutba, forms the majority of the Governorate's area, occupying the large desert area in the southwest.

[change] 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 a 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.

[change] Iraq War events in Al Anbar

The city of Fallujah is also in Anbar. The Iraqi resistance were widely considered to be stronger in this province than in any other in Iraq, and hostility toward Against American forces.

In late 2004 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 icasualties has reported that 1,842 Iraqi soldier and 2220 US Soldier and 7542 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 Hit and Al Qa'im and Fallujah 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 group , 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]

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. [1]

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 and Dulaim tribe 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," [2]

for that the American commanders threatened the Dulaim Sheikhs that ramadi be over Attack like Fallujah or you Fighting Al Qaeda resistance in Anbar, but the Sheikhs of the Dulaim tribe rejected that, until Al Qaeda killed one of the Sheikhs of Albu Resha clan (one clan of Dulaim tribe).

Sattar Abu Risha the son of Sheikh who killed by Al Qaeda, had put on him self to fighting Al Qaeda.

Sheikh Sattar Abu Risha Asked from Americans to release the Sunni arrestees (150 thousand) and Establishment Sunni Federalism in Western Iraq and The Sunni areas and provinces led by him Versus to fight Al Qaeda in Anbar and the American commanders agreed, Sheikh Sattar Abu Risha with 60 thousand man from his clan It a short time Expelled Al Qaeda from Anbar.

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." [3]

However, these challenges have been overcome as January 10th, 2008. Marine Major General Walter E. Gaskin has reported that the province is ready to be turned over to People of Anbar. as the population has embraced the emerging "Awakening Council", Sunni clans that are responsible for driving Al-Qaeda from Iraq.

but until now the Americans have not Establishment Sunni Federalism in Iraq and the Dulaim Sheikhs Angry cause the American commanders has Brought the Iraqi forces (mostly Shiites) to Anbar and have not Withdraw from Anbar and have not release the Sunni arrestees, and in Baghdad and Diyala and Babil province the Shiite militias Cooperation with the Iraqi forces Still Kidnapping and Arrested and killing sunnis and Dulaimi sunnis in particular.

for that the Coming days Perhaps witness fighting and Clashes between the inhabitants of Anbar and Iraqi forces that are not Welcome in Anbar.

[change] Cities and The Population

According to statistics of the Ministry of Commerce in 1999, there about million and half million inhabitants in seven major Cities in Al Anbar province. According to statistics in 2008 The population 2,405,000 people.

According to the former regime in 2003 just the city of Fallujah (600 thousand) and Ramadi (700 thousand) exceed million and three hundred thousand people.

According to the election for the council governorate on January 30, 2005, 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 The UN statistics in 2003 the Population of Al Anbar is 1,230,169 ,Ramadi (444,582), Fallujah (425,774), Al-Qaim (116,129), Hit (105,825), Haditha (75,835), Anah (37,211), Ar Rutba (24,813).

But The governor of Al Anbar Mamoun Sami Rashid Alwani says "The UN statistics are Incorrect and just included 7 major Cities from 80 cities and towns in Al Anbar" It continues, "We know our country more than strangers And Al Anbar Population about more then 3 million citizen".

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 Al Anbar, just in the city of Abu Ghraib eastern Al Anbar There between 750,000 and 1.5 million inhabitants. after the occupation The population of Al Anbar province Increase because of the sunni immigrants from Baghdad and southern Iraq, Whom are more than million people, and some areas in Al Anbar Decreased such as Fallujah and Ramadi because Hundreds of thousands of Al Anabr citizens killed by American forces using Chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction or by Siege and Bombing cities, which lasted for four years in anbar.

[change] The most important cities

• Ramadi (445 thousand) ^[4]—capital of Anbar
• Fallujah (425 thousand)
• Hit (150 thousand)
• Al-Qaim (105 thousand)
• Haditha (100 thousand)
• Abu Ghraib (1.5 million)
• Anah
• Rawah (25 thousand)
• Kabisa
• Anbar
• Al Baghdadi
• Al-Nukhaib
• Akashat
• Tarbil
• Husaibah Al Sharqiah
• Amiriyah Fallujah (40 thousand)
• Saqulauiah
• Jabhah
• Al Sharqiah
• Al Waleed
• Sa'dah
• Al Saqrh
• Al Mamorha
• Al Enaimih
• Al Rummaneh
• Al Karblah
• Baroana (20 thousand)
• Al Khaldiya
• Al Habanyah
• Al Karmah
• Al Quqa'
• Al Haqlaniyah
• Al Rahaliyah
• Ar Rutba

[change] Other websites

• US Army Captain Travis Patriquin presentation, "How to win in Al-Anbar" (Captain Patriquin USA, and Major Rachel McLung USMC were both Killed by an IED, while escorting press in Anbar (one of whom was Oliver North)[4][5]

[change] Sources

v • d • e Provinces of Iraq
Provinces	Al Anbar · Arbil · Babil · Baghdad · Al Basrah · Dahuk · Dhi Qar · Diyala · Karbala · Maysan · Najaf · Ninawa · Al Muthanna · Al-Qādisiyyah · Kirkuk · Salah ad Din · As Sulaymaniyah · Wasit