Militants loyal to al-Qaeda in Iraq threatened to intensify their campaign of violence sharply unless United States and Iraqi forces end a major offensive near the Syrian border, in an internet statement posted on Monday.
The statement also promised to destroy the homes of all Iraqi soldiers and government employees in response to recent comments by Defence Minister Saadun al-Dulaimi warning that those who shelter insurgents in their homes will be considered targets.
”The organisation has decided to give the apostate government and its [US] master 24 hours to end their campaign against the Sunni people. After that, they will only see from us the worst and something that’s going to make the earth tremble under their feet,” warned the statement, signed in the name of spokesperson Abu Maisara al-Iraqi.
At least one US marine and 17 alleged al-Qaeda fighters have been killed since the launch of operation Steel Curtain on Saturday against suspected insurgent hideouts in the predominantly Sunni Arab town of Husyaba, close to the Syrian border.
The latest al-Qaeda statement, whose authenticity could not be independently verified, warned all those who support the offensive.
”Every area that supports this government and its campaign against Muslims in any way will turn into a legitimate target for the lions of monotheism,” it said. ”We will punish these towns the same way Sunni Muslim towns are being punished for resisting the apostates.”
The group, headed by Jordanian-born Sunni extremist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, also vowed to destroy the homes of Iraqi soldiers and government employees but spare their wives and children.
”In response to comments by the pet of the Shi’ites (…) Dulaimi, the organisation has decided to destroy the homes of the foot soldiers of the oppressors and the agents of the apostate government after taking out the women and children.”
Several US-led operations over the past year in the lawless Al-Anbar province west of Baghdad have failed to quell a raging insurgency that continues to extract a heavy toll on both Iraqis and US forces. — Sapa-AFP