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<p>The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group executed 70 members of a Sunni tribe allied to the government in western Iraq earlier this week, a tribal leader and the United Nations said Wednesday.</p> <p>The victims, members of the Albu Nimr tribe, were executed on Sunday in the Tharthar area north of Ramadi, the capital of the western Anbar province, tribal elder Naim Gaoud told AFP.</p>

Petraeus Patience By the Editors If Gen. David Petraeus wasn’t denounced as a traitor upon his arrival on Capitol Hill Tuesday, his testimony was the occasion for the same dreary willful obtuseness on the part of congressional Democrats as in September. Petraeus and Amb. Ryan Crocker again were cautious and understated, perhaps to a fault. Without over-promising, they explained how we have built on the tentative security gains that Democrats were so skeptical of six months ago, and that there has begun to be political movement. The progress we have won is “fragile and reversible” as they repeatedly said, dependent...

... Now the ISIS killers are slaughtering them. -excerpt- The Sahwa's decision to ally with us was the primary contributor to the calming of central Iraq from 2007-09. Without the Sahwa, I suspect the outcome of the vaunted military "surge" would have been vastly different. The number of Iraqis in the Sahwa movement grew into the tens of thousands, as U.S. forces' outreach to small groups of armed men evolved into larger circles of family members, friends and tribal groups. " -excerpt- Still, the goal of our office was to find ways to foster life after the fight with the...

Former Sons of Iraq members work on a solar-powered device used to heat water while attending a Demobilization, Demilitarization and Reintegration Center course in western Adhamiyah, March 12. This machine will enable Iraqi families to have hot water in their homes. Photo by 1st Lt. Scott Lewis, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs. BAGHDAD — The classrooms bustle with activity as former Sons of Iraq members attend a Demobilization, Demilitarization and Reintegration (DDR) Center here to learn the skills necessary to make a living and support their families.This DDR Center in western Adhamiyah offers courses in surveying, electricity, mechanics, generator repair...

BAGHDAD — The Government of Iraq (GoI) and Coalition forces will complete the transfer of the Sons of Iraq (SoI) security volunteers to Iraqi control by April, and officials say they now are focused on transitioning the men into jobs and educational programs. “We're all working together for the same purpose: to bring these young men back to the government, back to their country, and to continue to build a stable and secure Iraq,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Ferriter, deputy commanding general for operations, Multi-National Corps – Iraq. “What you see is a result of this partnership. Things are falling...

BAGHDAD, Jan. 15, 2009 – Nearly 900 former members of the “Sons of Iraq” civilian security group officially joined the ranks of the Iraqi police at a graduation ceremony here yesterday. Former “Sons of Iraq” civilian security group members demonstrate tactical movements that they will incorporate in their duties as police officers as part of their graduation ceremony at Al Furat Iraqi Police Training Center in Baghdad, Jan. 14, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jessika Malott  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Numbering 894 men and three women, they are the second class drawn from former Sons...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2008 – The “Sons of Iraq” civilian security group led coalition troops to their biggest operations in recent days – disarming a bomb at a security checkpoint and finding one of their largest weapons caches to date, military officials reported. Coalition forces responded to a Sons of Iraq checkpoint to disarm a roadside bomb Dec. 29 in Baghdad's Rashid district. An explosive ordnance disposal unit disarmed the bomb. Tips from Sons of Iraq members in the Tikrit area led soldiers to several large weapons caches Dec. 29, one of which is the largest discovered since 25th Infantry...

Former Sons of Iraq members now serving as an Iraqi policemen in Suleikh speak about the improvements of being an IP versus an SoI while on a break at Joint Security Station Suleikh in northeastern Baghdad, Dec. 21. Photo by Sgt. Zachary Mott. SULEIKH — Fifty former members of the Sons of Iraq program are now protecting the streets of Suleikh wearing the bright blue uniform of Iraqi Police officers. The men, along with more than 400 other former members of the much publicized SoI program from Baghdad’s Adhamiyah District, are now Iraqi policemen charged with protecting the streets and...

DIWANIYA — Coalition forces conducted status checks on highway checkpoints controlled by the Sons of Iraq during a patrol Dec. 15. Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conducted the patrol and found citizens working diligently to maintain the safety of their city. “I have mid-day duty. I watch the highways and search the areas (around my checkpoint). Sometimes, (the Iraqi Police) call on me to help search cars,” said Calvin, a member of the SoI. The SoI program works with the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army to make the provinces safe for their citizens. The combined...

Calvin, a Sons of Iraq member, watches a highway from the checkpoint he mans in Diwaniya with two other SoI members, Dec. 15, 2008. Photo by Staff Sgt. Carlos Burger, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs. DIWANIYA — Coalition forces conducted status check patrols on highway checkpoints controlled by the Sons of Iraq (SoI) here, Dec. 15. Soldiers from Company D, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division conducted the patrol and found citizens working diligently to maintain the safety of their city.“I have midday duty. I watch the highways and search the areas...

DIYALA — Local Iraqi men lined up to become registered members of the Sons of Iraq here at Forward Operating Base Gabe, Dec. 4. More than 300 Iraqis showed up for the registration, put together by Coalition forces and the Iraqi Army. “It’s been a great turn out,” said Col. Burt Thompson, brigade commander, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. “And it’s really good to see both U.S. forces and the Iraqi Army working together as a joint force to ensure the registration of as many local Iraqi nationals to become registered members of the Sons of Iraq.”...

BAGHDAD – More than half of the Baghdad province Sons’ of Iraq have received their first paychecks from the Government of Iraq, with eight other provinces slated to follow suit by the summer of 2009.      “October 1st was the first transfer of the SoI to the Government of Iraq in Baghdad province, with 51,135 SoI [now under GoI control], and then throughout the month of October was the validation of the pay rosters and getting the pay sites ready,” said Lt. Col. Jeffrey D. Kulmayer, chief, reconciliation and engagement, Multi-National Corps – Iraq.  “The October pay period was just paid...

More than 1000 Sons of Iraq completed their first phase of Iraqi Police Basic Recruit Training, Nov. 6, 2008, at the al Furat Iraqi Police Training. Photo by Lt. Col. Michael Indovina, 18th Military Police Brigade. BAGHDAD — More than 1,000 former Sons of Iraq (SoI) recently completed their first phase of training at the al Furat Iraqi Police (IP) Training Center here. To kick off the program, 608 SoI registered for the training Oct. 31. Now with the first phase of training completed, 1,031 SoI are integrated into the IP training program. The second phase of training began Nov....

JSS HOR AL BASH — Now that the Sons of Iraq have transitioned to Government of Iraq control, many will head to jobs in the Iraqi Army and Police, and recruiting drives are helping to make that a possibility. The most recent recruiting drive occurred Nov. 4 in Hor al Bash, northwest of Baghdad, thanks to the efforts of Soldiers from Company B “Hammer,” 52nd Infantry, attached to 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry “Strykehorse,” 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. On the recommendations of Sawa sheiks, 186 Sons of Iraq members traveled to here...

BAGHDAD — Soon, hundreds of Ghazaliyah’s Sons of Iraq, or Abna’a al Iraq, will come under new management. In an effort to reorganize and integrate these concerned citizens, known locally as the Ghazaliyah guardians, they will fall solely under the control of the Government of Iraq. Though the change will be quite transparent to the citizens who cross these volunteers’ checkpoints daily, it will have a profound effect on the direction and authority of the regions Iraqi Security Forces. “Today we are transferring you from American authority to the Iraqi government,” said Capt. Thomas Melton, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault),...

Cruise the streets of Mosul, and you’ll see plenty of men wearing one of the Iraqi army’s handful of motley uniforms. You’ll see a similarly large number of men wearing the Iraqi police uniform. You’ll probably even run into several American soldiers wearing their distinctive digital camouflage. But what you won’t see is the tan, buttoned-down shirts worn by many "Sons of Iraq" volunteers. That’s because Mosul, unlike so many other parts of Iraq, does not use "Sons of Iraq" — the term the U.S. military uses for armed civilians paid by the U.S. to guard their own neighborhoods. Those...

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2008 – More than 300 former members of “Sons of Iraq” graduated to Iraqi policemen during a ceremony at Kirkuk Police Academy on May 15. A Kirkuk Police Academy instructor straightens the beret of an Iraqi police recruit before a graduation ceremony, May 15, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Margaret C. Nelson, 1st Battalion, 10th Mountain Division   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The students graduated after eight weeks of training here. “The Kirkuk province has shown tremendous progress in the last year. Events like this prove we are taking the necessary steps...

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad soldiers rescued a kidnapped Iraqi citizen May 8 near Ibrahim Bin Ali, northwest of Baghdad. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment “Gimlets,” 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, acted on tips from Iraqi Army soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, in addition to tips provided by Iraqi Police and Sons of Iraq (Abna al-Iraq) members. The suspected kidnappers were detained and are being held for further questioning. “U.S. soldiers, in full partnership with Iraqi Security Forces, are aggressively pursuing criminals and terrorists,...

BAGHDAD — The strong working relationship between Multi-National Division – Baghdad and the Sons of Iraq (Abna al-Iraq) led directly to the capture of key terrorist at approximately 9 p.m. on April 28. During a meeting with a local sheik and other citizens, a Sons of Iraq member indicated that a known key terrorist was nearby. The SoI member detained two suspects and turned them over to MND-B soldiers for further identification. One of the suspects was positively identified as a high-ranking member of al-Qaeda of Iraq. The captured terrorist is a prominent member of an al-Qaeda in Iraq cell...

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2008 – Coalition and Iraqi forces killed 11 suspected terrorists, detained three others, and seized weapons caches in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said. During operations this morning in the Iraqi capital: -- Enemy fighters using small-arms fire attacked soldiers from 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, around 9 a.m. Troops fired a round from their main tank gun, killing one attacker. The soldiers fired another round minutes later at some men attempting to use an improvised rocket launcher. The round killed two of the would-be attackers and destroyed their weapon. -- Multinational Division Baghdad...