Anbar deputy governor shot dead in Iraq

[Barrett808]

RAMADI - A senior member of the provincial government in the western Iraqi province of Anbar, the focus of the Sunni Arab insurgency, was shot dead by gunmen in Ramadi on Tuesday, a local doctor said.

Talib al-Dulaimi, a deputy governor of Anbar province, was ambushed by gunmen in an attack that also killed his bodyguard, according to doctor Hamdi al-Rawi at Ramadi hospital.

Ramadi, 110 km (68 miles) west of Baghdad, is the capital of Anbar province, a vast region at the heart of the Sunni Arab insurgency.

U.S. forces have conducted a series of operations against insurgents around the city and areas to the west over the past three weeks to try to impose security ahead of last Saturday's constitutional referendum in Iraq.

Very low turnout for the vote was reported in Ramadi.

http://www.almendhar.com/english_7050/news.aspx

[joemurphy]

1. More evidence that the insurgency is in its death throes! n/t

[Ilsa]

2. And wasn't the mayor of Baghdad gunned down today also? eom

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. Mayor of Baghdad, deputy governor of Anbar

This must be "assassi9nate a government official" week for the insurgents.

From a strictly strategic point of view, not a bad theme given the recent focus on elections.

Would you run to be the next mayor of Baghdad? Seems like they have the lifespan of a 2nd lieutenant in the A Shau Valley...