At least 50 people died in western Iraq on Tuesday due to Syrian airstrikes. For the past two days, Bashar Assad’s regime has assisted Iraq as it struggles to stem the tide of Sunni radicals advancing across the country.
The Syrian support comes in addition to special forces operations troops sent by Iran.
“We are now facing aggressive Iranian attacks at Arab hands,” said Abdullah al Shimmari, a member of the Anbar Tribal Military Council, which is aligned with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). “Our response to that will be soon,” he added, as reported by The Wall Street Journal Tuesday.
In the western city of Haditha, ISIL members were also demanding that tribal leaders turn over individuals who helped the U.S. in 2007 and 2008 during the the Awakening movement, the Journal reported.
The Obama administration is sending 300 American troops to Iraq to serve as military advisers in an attempt to head off a full-fledged civil war in the country.
“What I can tell you is we can confirm Iraq has provided acceptable assurances on the issue of protections for these personnel,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Monday.
SEE ALSO: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard deploys to Iraq to stop Sunni terror group
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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