Rebels launch assault in Ramadi

December 1, 2005

Reuters reports that around 400 armed men launched an attack on the town of Ramadi, seizing control of various streets in the inner city. They allegedly set up checkpoints and distributed leaflets declaring that Al-Qaeda in Iraq, a group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was taking over the city.

Reuters reports that there were no U.S. forces in the streets and that the U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for information about the situation.

Ramadi is at the south-west of the so-called Sunni Triangle and its population-size is around 400'000.