Tribal forces attacked the headquarters of an Iraqi army battalion south of Baghdad, killing at least 12 soldiers and bringing their fight against the government closer to the capital, according to Reuters’ report published on Thursday, April 3rd.
Police and medical sources said fighting began late on Wednesday when the assailants fired mortar rounds at the battalion’s headquarters in Yousifiya, around 15 to 20 km (9 to 10 miles) southwest of central Baghdad.
Roads leading to the area were closed off on Thursday as clashes continued and reinforcements were dispatched. In total, around 40 gunmen were either killed, wounded or detained, the sources said.
The identity of the gunmen was not clear, but Sunni tribal forces are regaining ground in Iraq and have overrun several towns and cities since the start of the year, including Falluja, around 70 km from Baghdad.

Maan said militants were taking cover in the orchards and farms surrounding Baghdad because they had nowhere else to go, and it was harder for the security forces to mobilize in such terrain.
Of the 592 Iraqis killed in acts of violence in March, 108 were members of the security forces, according to figures published by the United Nations.