clari.world.mideast.iraq

BAGHDAD, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida in Iraq shifted its
attack strategy from .-led forces to local neighborhood security
forces affiliated with tribal leaders, captured documents say.
The . military found al-Qaida documents in early January
that called for increased attacks against the group the Iraqi
government calls Sons of Iraq. The al-Qaida documents refer to the
group as its "most dangerous enemy."
The Sons of Iraq are associated with the Sunni-led Anbar
Awakening movement that developed a home-grown security response
against insurgents. The forces have moved from a loose coordination
of concerned citizens to a more formalized security unit.
There were more than 100 attacks against the group in
January, up from 50 in December. But the . military says that
while half of the December attacks were fatal, 35 percent of the
attacks in January were deadly.
The tribal leaders of the 90,000-member security force were
targets of assassination but al-Qaida moved to sweeping attacks on
rank-and-file members, USA Today said Wednesday.
The group is roughly 80 percent Sunni and members receive
about $350 a month from the . military.
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