Iraqi forces ‘take back control’ of western areas after weeks-long struggle

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http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/29/iraqi-forces-take-back-control-of-western-areas-after-weeks-long-struggle/



Iraqi forces ‘take back control’ of western areas after weeks-long struggle
By Agence France-Presse
Wednesday, January 29, 2014 12:16 EST

Iraqi forces Wednesday wrested back control of key areas west of Baghdad that have been out of government hands for weeks amid a deadly standoff between militants and security forces.

The battles in Anbar province, a mostly-Sunni desert region bordering on Syria, and a protracted surge in nationwide violence, have killed more than 850 people this month, fuelling fears Iraq is slipping back into the all-out conflict that plagued it from 2006 to 2008.

Washington has said it plans to sell Iraq 24 Apache attack helicopters in a $4.8 billion deal to help the country fight militants.

But foreign leaders have also urged the Shiite-led government to address long-term grievances in the disaffected Sunni community to undercut support for militancy.