Sunni tribes in Anbar agree to combat foreign fighters

It's called Nationalism and it's steadily increasing in Iraq.

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Sunni tribesmen of Iraq's restive al-Anbar province have agreed to take over combating foreign fighters there and securing the borders, officials said.

The agreement was reached earlier this week in an meeting with US and Iraqi officials, who included US commander General George Casey and Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari.

"It was a very fruitful and constructive meeting," National Security Advisor Muaffaq al-Rubaie, who attended the Tuesday meeting, told AFP.

"The basic principle is that the province's security is the responsibility of the local people and they promised they would kick out the foreign fighters."

In the past week, nine members of the US military have been killed in Anbar.

Tribal leaders will also encourage their followers to enlist in the Iraqi army and police forces.

Osama al-Jadaan, head of the Karabla tribe along the border, also attended the meeting and said his forces were ready to go after the foreign fighters.