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SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM

Tuesday, March 29, 2005:

BAGHDAD – Iraq has expanded its security responsibility to the worst areas of the Sunni Triangle as successful coalition raids have devastated insurgency bases and dispelled the atmosphere of fear that stymied cooperation by the local population.

So far, about 100 insurgents have been captured in Samara in March, officials said. They said many of them were arrested based on tips from Samara residents.

"The people of Samara used to be afraid of the anti-Iraqi forces," Iraqi Gen. Rashid Adnan, commander of the 1st Brigade police commandos, said. "They couldn't tell us any information. Now their fear is gone."

Iraqi officials said army and police forces have been given a larger role in operations in the Anbar province near the Syrian border. Al Anbar has been deemed the largest stronghold of the Sunni insurgency, Middle East Newsline reported.

"Hopefully, within 18 months at the most we will be capable of securing Iraq," Iraqi Interior Minister Falah Naqib said on Monday. "We hope that next summer, there will be a huge reduction in the numbers of multinational patrols. In some cities, there will be no foreign troops at all."

Over the last week, Iraqi and U.S. forces have captured two Sunni insurgency bases around Baghdad. More than 85 insurgents were killed and about 100 others were captured. At the same time, Iraqi forces have launched operations in Samara, which has resisted stabilization efforts for nearly two years. More than 1,500 members of the Iraqi police, including special operations forces and commandos, have been conducting search operations for insurgents.

The United States has been encouraging Iraqi forces to assume greater responsibility for security to prepare for a series of major political events over the next few months. They included the holding of a constitutional referendum as well as elections -- both regarded as potential insurgency targets.

"By the end of 2005, provided the political process continues to be successful, you will see the Iraqis more and more in charge, and in some areas completely in charge," U.S. Central Command chief Gen. John Abizaid said.

The Iraqi forces have not operated on their own in Samara. U.S. Army troops maintain perimeter security for Iraqi raids against suspected insurgency strongholds.

Much of the information provided by Samara residents to Iraqi authorities has been helpful in capturing insurgents. Officials said more than 40 percent of the suspects arrested were identified as insurgents aligned with the former Saddam Hussein regime.

Three of the suspects were identified as leaders of an insurgency cell in Samara responsible for the killing of 11 Iraqi police officers, seven Iraqi soldiers, three interpreters and two contractors, officials said. Two other insurgents were said to have assembled bombs in attacks on U.S. main battle tanks and other armored vehicles.

Officials said Samara could be used as a model for other cities in Al Anbar. They said the U.S.-led coalition has been trying to improve the performance of Iraqi police, which has lagged behind that of the military.

"This process is already begun, even in the toughest areas in Baghdad and the Sunni Triangle," Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq, said. "Iraqi forces are conducting operations and hanging tough in the face of difficult challenges."