Armed tribes in the town of Garme east of Fallujah in Iraq’s restive al-Anbar Province announced seizing the SWAT battalion base belonging to Maliki’s forces. These forces fled this base without showing any resistance, handing it over to armed tribes. In response, the armed tribes showed mercy to those who surrendered themselves.
On the other hand political experts believe Maliki is facing serious challenges and it is possible he will have to pay a heavy price. Agence France Presse reported Nouri Maliki is up against a huge crisis only a few months remaining to the general elections. The Iraqi prime minister, facing one of the biggest challenges of his 9-year long rule, has lost control of two cities merely steps away from Baghdad. The city of Fallujah has been out of the government’s control for a few days, and losing Fallujah is strategically important because it is near the capital.