Further Breaks

The Coalition’s tempo of operations is increasing just as the insurgency steps up their violent attacks on Iraqi security services and civilians. In a series of raids over the weekend, over 109 terrorists were killed or captured, and several large weapons caches have been uncovered. Nabil Badriyah Al Nasiri, the leader of the terrorist group Al-Muqaferin, which has links to al Qaeda, has turned himself in after many of his associates were captured in Bayji.

The New York Times states that the bulk of the materials and men used in the insurgency are being funneled from outside the country; “Insurgents in Iraq are drawing on dozens of stockpiled, bomb-rigged cars and groups of foreign fighters smuggled into the country in recent weeks to carry out most of the suicide attacks that have killed about 300 people in the last 10 days.”

The Washington Post reports that the Coalition is shifting its focus from Former Regime Elements (Saddam’s Baathists) to the radical Islamists such as Zarqawi’s al Qaeda network, as they are conducting the bulk of the violent attacks:

Previously, U.S. authorities have depicted the insurgency as being dominated largely by what the Pentagon has dubbed “former regime elements” — a combination of onetime Baath Party loyalists and Iraqi military and security service officers intent on restoring Sunni rule. But since the Jan. 30 elections, this segment of the insurgency has appeared to pull back from the fight, at least for a while, reassessing strategies and exploring a possible political deal with the new government, senior U.S. officers here say.

Acting on the assumption that foreign fighters and Iraqi extremists may now pose the greater and more immediate threat to security in Iraq, U.S. commanders have given orders in recent days to reposition some U.S. ground forces and intelligence assets in northwestern Iraq to further fortify the border with Syria and block suspected infiltration routes. They are also stepping up efforts to go after leading bomb-makers and key organizers of the suicide attacks.

The repositioning of assets has ended, and the latest round of ground operations has begun in earnest. The 2^nd Marine Division’s Regimental Combat Team 2, comprised of Marine, Army and Navy elements, has begun a new offensive to destroy the support base of the insurgency and interdict their supply lines on the Syrian border:

The offensive is aimed at eliminating terrorists and foreign fighters from the area. The operation is currently on the area north of the Euphrates River, in the Al Jazirah Desert. The region is a known smuggling route and sanctuary for foreign fighters.

Initial reports indicate a significant number of terrorists have been killed in the first 24 hours of the operational. Some foreign fighters are believed to be among the terrorists killed.

Reports indicate the operation has resulted in 100 enemy deaths since it began 24 hours ago.

As Wretchard of the Belmont Club details, the Coalition has been constantly fighting along “The Western Road” – the stretch of road that runs along the Euphrates River, and hosts the cities of al Qaim on the Syrian Border, Husabayah, Ramadi, Fallujah, Abu Ghraib and Baghdad. This is the bulk of the jihadi and Baathist rat line fueling the insurgency in the Sunni Triangle. We have seen the desperation of al Qaeda to reopen a section of the rat line and dislodge the American hold on Camp Gannon by launching futile large scale attacks. Expect more, with the same results as cornered animals are predictable in their desperation and lash out wildly.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.