Abdul Sattar Abu Risha

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Abdul Sattar Abu Risha
Born	1972
Died	September 13, 2007 Ramadi
Other names	Abdul Sattar Buzaigh Hisham al-Rishawi, Sheikh Sittar
Occupation	Sunni Tribal Chief in Al-Anbar
Known for	"Anbar Awakening" - opposing al-Qaeda in Iraq

Abdul Sattar Abu Risha (Arabic: عبد الستار أبو ريشة‎) - Sheikh Abd Sattar Al-Rishawi Al-Dulaimi - (1972 – September 13, 2007) was the leader of an alliance of Iraqi Sunni Arab tribe that opposed al-Qaeda in Iraq, and son of the chief of the 160,000 strong Albu Resha clan, a subset of the Dulaim tribe, the largest and most important tribe in Iraq. He was assassinated, shortly after becoming an ally of the Iraqi government through forming an organisation of fellow tribal chiefs called the Sahawa Al Anbar or the Anbar Awakening Council based in Anbar's provincial capital of Ramadi, some 70 miles (110 km) west of Baghdad.

Contents 1 Leader of the Anbar Awakening Council 2 Early life 3 Anbar military forces 4 Death 5 Before and After the assassination 6 Quotes 7 References

[edit] Leader of the Anbar Awakening Council

During the early part of the insurgency following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, as al-Qaeda's fighters tightened their grip on Ramadi, it is reported that they became increasingly repressive and challenged the tribal leaders' power. Soon they were kidnapping and beheading innocent people as part of a campaign of extortion and intimidation.^{[citation needed]}

"We began to see what they were actually doing in Anbar province. They were not respecting us or honouring us in any way, their tactics were not acceptable." - Sheikh Sittar, March 2007

During the late summer of 2006 Sheikh Sittar began enlisting his fellow sheikhs in Sahawat Al-Anbar and encouraging members of his tribe to join the local police force. Since June 2006 they have contributed a reported 1,300 members to the Ramadi police^{[citation needed]}. Many of the new newly friendly leaders are believed to have at least tacitly supported the insurgency in the past, though al-Rishawi said he never did. His movement, also known as the Anbar Awakening, now counts 41 clans from Anbar, though al-Rishawi acknowledges that some groups in the province have yet to join.^[1]

Sheikh Sattar Abu Risha discussed and persuade Anbar Sheikhs to Stopped fighting the American army and expel and fighting Al Qaeda, Persuaded the sheikhs of Anbar clans of Al-Bu Nimr and Al-Bu Fahd and Al-Bu Mahals and Al-Bu Assaf and Al-Bu Issa.
Sheikh Sattar Abu Risha with 60 thousand man from his tribe, in 40 days expelled Al Qaeda from Anbar.

[edit] Early life

Little is known about Abu Risha's life prior to the war. He reportedly ran a construction and import-export business with offices in Amman, Jordan and Dubai, United Arab Emirates.^[2]

Abu Risha was the grandson of an insurrection leader against British occupying forces in 1920 and the son of an insurrection leader against British forces in 1941.^[3]

Abu Risha his goal was establishment Sunni federalism in western Iraq, included some areas in baghdad and Babil province where his tribe forming the majority.

[edit] Anbar military forces

Sheikh Abu Risha and Anbar Sheikhs has establish Anbar military forces (62 thousand fighter), to control on the cities of Anbar and expel Al-Qaida.
Today the Anbar military forces Which Formed by Sheikh Abu Risha and Sheikhs, Control on Al-Anbar region.

[edit] Death

Abu Risha was assassinated on September 13, 2007 with three of his guards by an explosive pack on the road near the gate of his house in Ramadi.

His funeral attracted thousands of mourners.

Several dozen people were arrested in connection with Abu Risha's death including the head of the security detail that was supposed to protect the sheik.^[4]

it was believed that Shiite leaders have relation with his death because many didn't like his victories or it caused damage to some benefits.

Most of the news media accused Al-Qaida , while Sheikh Ali Hatem Ali Sulaiman Accused and blamed the Iraqi government and the National Guard and announced that the sectarian Shia government of Baghdad don't want to share power with Sunnis even in the Sunni provinces.

[edit] Before and After the assassination

Meeting with al-Maliki

The last people outside his family Abu-Risha have seen is a delegation from al-Maliki. Nouri al-Maliki told Abu-Risha that he will send a delegation of tribes chiefs to him in order to discuss what can they do about the situation in Iraq but it turned out that this delegation have only one tribe chief and the rest are unknown characters, In a meeting Abu-Risha wanted to stop the Shiite militias and the Iranian control and interference , but Al-Maliki didn't like that as members from the meeting said. Abu Risha told al-Maliki in the last two weeks: that the council will not allow Iranian influence in Anbar or any other area in Iraq , and that the council is ready to work in Baghdad to end this influence.

Specialists and the assistant of Abu-Risha have officially said that the explosion is very similar to the one that targeted Al-Mansoor hotel where a gathering for the Iraqi Sunni tribes chiefs and Abu Risha was going .

At the same day when Abu-Risha died, al-Maliki had a meeting with a Al-hais, who was member were isolated by Abu-Risha in a former time to clean the council as Abu-Risha said.

Immediately after the death Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has opposed the awakening forces from the beginning, announced that Ahmad Abu Risha is the new chief of the Council of awakening Anbar, But is known that Ahmed Abu Risha is (Mentally weak) and it was believed that Nouri al-Maliki Chosen him because he is Mentally weak.

Ahmad Abu Risha was consider as leader by the police and Governor of Anbar but the awakening forces and Al-Anbar Sheikhs Refused to be Mentally weak leader on them.

On September 20, 2007, Only one week after the death of Abu Risha, the National Guard and the iraqi forces entered Anbar and did Military Operations in ramadi, those Forces are mostly Shiites and Sheikh Abu-Risha was refusal to be in al-anbar or to have any presence in anbar.(as most residents of Anbar, believes that most of the army are members of various Shia militias)

On March, 2008 Al-hais threatened the Iraqi Islamic Party and Members of Al-Anbar Governorate Council to Leaves Al-Anbar or to Face death.

it was believed American forces will withdraw from Cities of Anbar and transfer security responsibility to awakening forces and the police but after the death of Abu Risha, the National Guard (Shiite forces) entered Anbar and In a move to enrage the Anbar Sheikhs, the National Guard Arrested and killed some residents of Anbar and the security responsibility in some Cities transfer to the National Guard not to the awakening forces and the police.

[edit] Quotes

• "We did not support the US forces or anyone else - We fought on behalf of our people and defeated al-Qaeda"^[5]
• "We will continue to defend Iraq and we will continue to raise the flag of Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest), and we will enter Baghdad. We are not interested in the post of minister, prime minister, or president of the republic."^[5]
• We want to protect our people from militias and al-Qaeda.

[edit] References