The coming battle in Diyala

Bill Roggio:

The province of Diyala, where al Qaeda has established its command headquarters over the past year, has been the scene of increased activity of the past several days. Al Qaeda conducted a sophisticated attack in a Kurdish village in the north, and a coordinated attack on a military outpost and a bank in Baqubah. The U.S. detained two al Qaeda leaders in a raid in the city, while the general commanding the 5th Iraqi Army Division was relieved of his command. The recent events signal the Diyala Campaign is on the horizon as both sides seek to consolidate their positions in the province.

Today, al Qaeda launched an attack at a U.S. combat outpost in Baqubah, the provincial capital and al Qaeda in Iraq's capital of its political front, the Islamic State of Iraq, according to Al Jazeera. About 50 al Qaeda fighters hit the outpost, and U.S. Strykers, attack helicopters and combat aircraft were called in to reinforce the U.S. troops. At least six al Qaeda were killed in the attack, an anonymous Iraqi Army officer told Al Jazeera. "One resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals from fighters, said he heard heavy machinegun fire and then men shouting 'Allahu Akbar'".

On May 18, "gunmen in four vehicles laid an ambush in central Baqubah for government accountants [carrying] one billion Iraqi dinars [$860,000] as a monthly social security program fund for poor families." On the same day, 3 American soldiers were killed in an unspecified location after their vehicle was struck by an IED

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That appears to be the primary method of funding al Qaeda operations and as some stories suggest it is the primary means of funding al Qaeda headquarters in Pakistan. The preparation for the coming battle in Diyala should be interesting to watch over the next few weeks. I think it well be several weeks before the showdown.