Fierce fighting continues to rage in two cities in Western Iraq as al Qaeda-inspired militants and government-backed militia battle it out for control. <br /><br /> In Ramadi, dozens of jihadists were reportedly killed on Friday. <br /><br /> Falluja, the other major city in Iraq’s Anbar region also witnessed heavy fighting. <br /><br /> Footage released on Thursday by Baghdad showed Iraqi government warplanes carrying out several air strikes against gunmen suspected of being Sunni insurgents. <br /><br /> A large part of the turmoil in Iraq’s Western province is being blamed on the war in Syria which is said to be feeding the instability. <br /><br /> Earlier this week the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Malaki struck a deal with local Sunni-based tribes in Iraq’s Anbar region in a bid to oust the militants who are seeking to create an Islamic state.
