1/2/2005 5:00:00 PM GMT
Iraq’s interim government reported on Sunday that Iraqi National Guards have arrested 228 suspected rebels in a series of raids over the past week in south of the Iraqi capital; known as the "triangle of death"
"National Guard forces raided the Mahmudiya area and detained 217 suspects and took large quantities of arms ... that were in their possession," the interim government said in a statement.
Also in Mahmudiya area, another unit detained Hatem al-Zawbai, believed to head the 1920 Revolution Brigades, an Iraqi armed group that claimed responsibility for kidnapping dozens of foreigners in Iraq over the past months.
Last year, 1920 Revolution Brigades, claimed responsibility for kidnapping a U.S. Marine of Lebanese origin. But later on, the Marine showed up in Lebanon amid speculation that he had arranged his own abduction to desert the U.S. army.
The name 1920 Revolution Brigades refers to Iraq's fight against British rule.
The same group claimed responsibility for kidnapping an American of Lebanese origin who used to work at Baghdad airport, and posted a statement on an internet site threatening to behead any Lebanese cooperating with the U.S.-led occupation in Iraq.
The Iraqi government statement added that the Iraqi National Guards also arrested 10 suspected rebels after they returned to Mahmudiya from Mosul, Iraq's third largest city.
U.S. and Iraqi officials believe that the toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein loyalists who were originally based in the battle-torn Iraqi city of Fallujah have escaped the city before the U.S.-led offensive broke out in November, to rebase in Mosul.
Recently, U.S. Marines and Iraqi forces have been raiding houses in the area, saying that they were searching for fighters and weapons.
Iraq has witnessed a spate of deadly attacks over the past few weeks, which would cripple elections set for Jan. 30.
According to analysts, that suggests the anti-government rebels are refining their strategy to hamper the vote process.
Last week, rebels tried to assassinate Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, a Shiite cleric who is among the candidates for the country’s upcoming election.
Also on Monday, the leading Sunni Arab party announced it was withdrawing from the race, dealing the heaviest blow to the legitimacy of the Iraqi vote.
During the recent days, rebels have stepped up their violent attacks against Iraqi forces and U.S. targets.
Despite U.S. claims that the Iraqi resistance was growing desperate, rebels attacks continued and may be bolder than before– with dozens of Iraqis and at least four American servicemen killed in few days.
Last week’s attacks showed the Iraqi rebels were determined to make their voices heard politically as well as through violence.