Iraq: High Value Targets, Reconciliation Proceeds

Iraqi and Coalition forces have been pressing hard to dismantle al Qaeda's suicide and car bomb infrastructure in and around Baghdad. Over the past week, some success has been made in attacking the leadership of these networks. Three senior commanders of al Qaeda bomb-making cells have been captured. Since Saturday, there have been no major bombings inside Baghdad.

On March 21, U.S. troops from the 82nd Airborne Division captured the leader and the second in command of the deadly Adhamiyah cell, which is believed to be responsible for the murder of 900 Iraqis and the wounding of another 1,950. The cell is believed to be responsible for the majority of the major suicide and truck bombs inside Sadr City. Haytham Kazim Abdallah Al-Shimari, the 'emir' or leader of the cell, was captured with his driver after attempting to avoid a U.S. patrol. Haydar Rashid Nasir Al-Shammari Al-Jafar, Haytham's deputy, and two aides, were captured in a separate incident, also while traveling in Baghdad.

On March 20, the Iraqi security forces announced the capture of Ahmad Farhan, an emir of al Qaeda in Iraq. Farhan and two aides were captured in Abu Ghraib, which is on the outskirts of western Baghdad. Abu Ghraib is the gateway to Anbar province.

Brigadier General Qassem Atta, an Iraqi Army spokesman, "played a videotape showing Farhan confessing to his ties with a wanted man called Abu Omar al-Baghdadi." Abu Omar al-Baghdadi is the leader of al Qaeda's political front, the Islamic State in Iraq. "I receive support from Syria and Jordan and have got four groups with an emir and 25 members for each," said Farhan. He is believed have murdered over 300 Iraqis and kidnapped another 200. These leaders will be interrogated in an effort to dismantle their terror cells and gain knowledge of al Qaeda's organization.

Meanwhile, Iraqi and Coalition forces press the hunt for al Qaeda in Iraq. On March 23, a joint U.S. and Iraqi operation south of Baghdad led to the capture of 31 insurgents and the discovery of a large weapons cache. On March 24, Iraqi National Police found over 470 anti-tank mines in Sadr City after receiving a tip from a resident. U.S. forces killed five al Qaeda and captured another 22 during raids in Taji and Karma over the past four days. In Karma five DShK anti-aircraft heavy machine guns were found. Karma was the scene of the downing of Marine CH-46 helicopter by al Qaeda in February. Coalition forces captured another four al Qaeda in raids in Mosul, Tarmiyah and Fallujah.

As operations against al Qaeda in Iraq continue, Sunni insurgent groups and tribes continue to peal away from al Qaeda in Iraq. Al Qaeda's assassination and intimidation campaign has alienated the terror group from large segments of its base. This process has been ongoing since mid 2005, when U.S. forces watched insurgents battle al Qaeda in faraway regions such as Al Qaim.

As we've reported extensively in the past, the Anbar Salvation Council, a grouping of the Anbar tribes along with elements of insurgent groups such as the 1920s Revolution Brigades and the Islamic Army of Iraq, have organized to oppose al Qaeda. A pitched battle outside Amiriya in early March highlighted the strength of the Anbar Salvation Council.