Suicide Bomber Kills 21 in Attack on Anti-’ISIL’ Fighters in Iraq

Local Editor

A suicide bomber attacked Sunni fighters opposed to the "ISIL" terrorist group as they gathered Wednesday to receive salaries south of Baghdad, martyring at least 21 people, officials said.

The attack on the fighters, known as Sahwa, near a military base in the Madain area also wounded at least 48 people.

It was unclear how many of the victims were Sahwa fighters.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but suicide bombings are a tactic almost exclusively employed by extremists in Iraq, including the "ISIL" group.

"ISIL" spearheaded a sweeping militant offensive that has overrun some of Iraq's heartland since June - areas that the government forces have sought local fighters  help to retake.

The Sahwa, or "Awakening" in Arabic, date back to the height of the US-led invasion to Iraq, when tribesmen joined forces with the Americans to battle insurgents including "ISIL" predecessor organization, the so called "Islamic State of Iraq".

The Sahwa were key to sharply reducing violence, but when Iraq's government took over responsibility for their salaries they were sometimes paid late or not at all.
Now fighters, including the Sahwa and other armed tribesmen, again have an important role to play in the fight against "ISIL".

The Iraqi government has distributed arms and ammunition to tribesmen, and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi aims to establish a national guard made up of local fighters.

Iraqi security forces backed by national fighters have clawed back some ground from "ISIL".

But major areas, especially north and west of Baghdad, remain outside government control.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team