BAGHDAD, November 8 (IslamOnline.net) – As the Iraqi resistance continues unabated in cities west and north of Baghdad like Fallujah, Ramadi and Samarra, small cities to the south, escaping media scrutiny, have already become rock hard for the US occupation troops.

Proving their strong mettle in the face of the occupation, these cities have been the target of incessant raids by US-backed Iraqi National Guards, which furious Iraqis said amounted to "genocide," reported the London-based Al-Quds Press news agency.

Competing in bravery, resistance fighters in these cities are keen on leaving their indelible marks.

Many were the times they cut off supply lines to US troops and obstructed the progress of occupation and National Guards convoys, following in the footsteps of their fellow compatriots in other resistance bastions.

The restive resistance cities stretch from southern Baghdad to the holy Shiite city of Karbala.

Most of the cities are purely Sunni inhabited by clans like Al-Dalim, Al-Abeed, Al-Gharir and Al-Jabour.

Many of the south fighters are ordinary citizens, who were provoked by the practices of the National Guards and US forces into defending their honor and homeland.

Pre-dawn raids on tips or lies from treacherous Iraqis, daily bombardment and random arrests of civilians are few to mention examples of such practices.

More and more, US and National Guards troops have stormed several mosques with their boots and took into custody imams and sheikhs.

Indiscriminate shooting at Iraqi crowds on the street is no surprise.

"Many people were caught up in crossfire and indiscriminate shootings, including people paying last respects to fellow ones and innocent passers-by," Amer Al-Jameli, from Alexandria city between Baghdad and Babel, told Al-Quds Press.

He recalled how US-backed Iraqi troops set fire to Al-Sidik Islamic library in the city, stole personal computers, telephones, videos, while leaving copies of the Noble Qur’an devoured by flames.

"The other day, they burnt out Al-Forqan Islamic library after stealing its computers, photocopiers and arresting its four employees."

Jameli went on: "They also marauding houses, stealing what reaches their hands of precious things like golden necklaces. People are terrified to leave their homes."

Some citizens believe that there is a hidden agenda aimed at triggering a massive Sunni exodus from the south.

But Jameil warns of foreign hands "playing in the dark" to spark a sectarian sedition in the country.

He cited the assassination of Shiite leader Bashir Al-Jazari, a senior aide to Moqtada Al-Sadr, as a case in point.

"When Jazari was gunned down a while ago, Shiites rushed to accuse the Sunni people of Al-Latifia, of being behind the killing. But one of Jazari’s companions, who escaped unscathed, said the attackers were boarding a car that accompanied Jazari all the way from An-Najaf.

"Additionally, if Shiites really risked Sunni attacks, how on earth would they keep, almost on a daily basis, visiting their holy sites in the south through Sunni cities?"