Iraqi PM vows to forge ahead with military operations in Anbar

A few hours after government forces' losing control of the City of Fallujah, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki vowed Saturday to go ahead with the military operation in Anbar and eliminate all armed groups active in the volatile province. "We will not back away or stop the military operations till the elimination of Al-Qaeda and criminal elements who want to declare their Islamic state in Anbar and to wreck the political process in the country," Maliki said in a televised speech on the occasion of the second anniversary of the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq. He lauded the great efforts exerted by military and police to in Anbar province. Iraqi army forces bombed several areas in the western city of Fallujah on Saturday and clashed with militants and announcing the killing of over 30 militants in the airstrikes. The air raids came, hours after authorities announced losing control of the whole Fallujah city and parts of Al-Ramadi for militants. Fighting between police and allied tribesmen on one side and Al-Qaeda's Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) militants on the other killed more than 100 people in Ramadi and Fallujah on Friday, security officials said. It was the deadliest single day for Iraq in years. The Premier urged all political blocs to show support to the armed forces and their efforts to ride the country of terrorist organizations. He reiterated his criticism to the sit-in in Anbar, adding it has turned into a haven for terrorists. He underlined the need to adhere to national unity and stay away from sectarian discord to protect the country. "See how the army and Anbar tribal fighters are fighting, side by side, Al-Qaeda and the killers in Anbar. This is a true national unity." Al-Maliki also demanded the UN Security Council to take action to stop foreign countries settling their scores in Iraq and violating Iraq's sovereignty. "The Arab region is inflamed and nobody knows what will happen the next year, explosions are rocking Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey and even in Russia." He called on the UN Security Council to support countries' fighting terrorism and to punish countries export and finance terrorism. The violence in Iraq has been taking a deteriorating turn in the past few days after the Army and security forces broke up a year-long anti-government sit-in in the volatile Anbar city. Tension is festering between the government of Prime Minister Al-Maliki, a Shiite, and Iraqi Sunnis who accuse authorities of marginalizing and targeting their community, including through wrongful detentions and accusations of involvement in terrorism. The UN mission to Iraq said violence claimed the lives of 7,818 civilians in 2013, the highest annual death toll in years. The UN figures issued Wednesday gave a total of 759 people killed in December alone, including 661 civilians and 98 members of the security forces. The UN's monthly figures for both civilians and security forces over the year totaled 8,868.