In the Anbar province, the Sunni-controlled militant group Al-Qaeda captured the city of Fallujah, Iraq, in a sweep that cost 65 lives.
Emirates 24/7 reports the death toll included eight soldiers, two government tribesmen and 55 militants from the Al-Qaeda.
Iraq’s prime minister Nuri Al-Maliki urged his people to fight against these militants. “We will not back down until we end all terrorist groups and save our people in Anbar,” he said, according to the Emirates 24/7.
Though he did not specify what action to take, he did caution soldiers to avoid residential areas in western Anbar, says the Associated Press.
On Sunday, 34 soldiers and civilians died as fighting ensued into Monday, killing another six militants.
The Associated Press notes that the fighting seems to have brewed over the Sunnis complaints against the Shiite-led government. The Shiites claim that the government is driving unfair policies against them.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that the U.S. will not be coming to Iraq’s aid, even though he said Washington was “very, very concerned” according to the Associated Press.