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Iraqi 'Sahwa' Forces Elect New Leadership

After years of Sunni divisions and a rapidly changing sectarian landscape in Iraq, Sahwa forces have elected a new leadership, writes Ali Abel Sadah.
Iraqi Sunni Muslims take part in an anti-government demonstration in Falluja, 50 km (31 miles) west of Baghdad March 1, 2013. Iraq's finance minister told crowds of Sunni Muslim protesters on Friday he was resigning, after more than two months of demonstrations demanding an end to marginalisation of their minority sect.  REUTERS/Mohanned Faisal (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTR3EFVK
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The so-called Sahwa forces in Iraq are undergoing significant changes. Sahwa recently elected a new leadership, following a series of defections in recent years.

The Sahwa forces are a military formation of Sunni fighters, established by the US Army to confront al-Qaeda. The multinational force that entered Iraq following the 2003 invasion provided financial and logistical support to Sahwa forces. The withdrawal of American troops in 2011 left the Sahwa forces in a state of political and administrative chaos.

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