Iraq Report: Al Qaeda Counteroffensive

Al Qaeda in Iraq has ramped up its attacks against Iraqi civilians and Iraqi and U.S. security forces over the past 48 hours. The effort demonstrates that al Qaeda in Iraq still possesses the capacity to launch a counteroffensive to the ongoing U.S. and Iraqi operations and is seeking to influence the upcoming debate in the U.S. Al Qaeda in Iraq has launched its version of the Tet Offensive.

Over the past several days, al Qaeda in Iraq conducted five high-profile attacks against Iraqi and U.S. targets. Four out of five of the attacks occurred outside of Baghdad--two in Diyala province, two in Salahadin province. Three of the attacks were conducted with suicide bombers, the other two attacks were conducted as infantry-type assaults.

Diyala

Just as Coalition and Iraq forces wrapped up Operation Lightning Hammer in the Diyala River Valley north of Baqubah, al Qaeda in Iraq conducted two major strikes in the province on August 23: one south and one east of the provincial capital. The first attack, and infantry-style assault against two villages south of Baqubah, was the more sensational of the two.

Over 200 al Qaeda in Iraq fighters assaulted mosques and the homes of tribal sheikhs in the village of Kanan. "They blew up the mosque, then they bombed houses crowded with family members." Brig. Gen. Ali Dalayan, the police chief of Baqubah told AFP. Al Qaeda targeted the tribal sheikhs recently pledged to fight the terror group. Twenty-three people were killed during the battle, including one of the sheikhs, several of his sons, and a policeman, AFP reported. "The attackers however managed to abduct 15 people, eight women and seven children." Twenty-two al Qaeda fighters were later detained south of Kanan.

Multinational Forces Iraq stated 10 civilians were killed and eleven wounded. "An unknown number of terrorists were killed, said Sheik Thar al-Karki, the paramount sheik for the Karki tribe, stating they could not determine the number because AQI members load the bodies in vehicles during attacks."

The 1920s Revolution Brigades--a Sunni insurgent group who turned on al Qaeda--backed Iraqi police in the battle against al Qaeda in Kanan. The 1920s Revolution Brigades has battled al Qaeda in Iraq several times in Diyala province over the past year.

In Muqdadiyah, east of Baqubah, an al Qaeda suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck a police convoy as it patrolled a market in the city. At least 38 police and civilians were wounded in the attack. U.S. and Iraq forces have yet to move against al Qaeda in Iraq in force in the Muqdadiyah and in other areas such as Balad Ruz, and al Qaeda is exploiting these gaps in security.

Salahadin

Al Qaeda in Iraq also conducted two high profile attacks in Salahadin province. On August 22, a suicide truck bomber struck an education center in a residential area in the city of Bayji. Over 45 civilians were killed in the attack and scores more wounded.

"These guys were going after Iraqi security forces," but now are striking civilian targets, Lt. Col. Scott Harris, the commander of the 1st Battalion of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment told the Fayetteville Observer. "Al Qaeda is doing everything they can to show spectacular attacks and to show progress is not as good," Harris said. "Former insurgents are starting to participate in a reconciliation program, and attacks and roadside bombs have dropped by 50 percent," the paper reported. "The refinery has increased its production."

The second major attack in Salahadin province occurred in Samarra, the provincial capital. An al Qaeda force of about 60 fighters attacked Iraqi National Police targets. "The masked attackers drove into the city at dusk Thursday in about 20 vehicles, including pickups with machine-guns, then split into small groups and assaulted four police checkpoints and a headquarters building," AP reported.

Police beat off the attacks, and captured 14 al Qaeda fighters in the process. One policeman and two civilians were killed, and another nine were wounded in the gunbattles.

Baghdad