Baghdad: Al Qaida in Iraq is telling its followers to soften their tactics to regain popular support in the western province of Anbar, where Sunni tribes have turned against the organisation and begun working with US forces, according to group leaders and American intelligence officials.

The new approach was outlined last month in an internal communique that orders members to avoid killing Sunni civilians who have not sympathised with the US-backed tribesmen or the government.

From internal documents and interviews with members of Al Qaida in Iraq, a picture emerges of an organisation in disarray but increasingly aware that its harsh policies - such as punishing women who don't cover their heads - have eroded its popular support.

Over the past year, the group has been driven out of many of its strongholds. The group's leadership is now jettisoning some of its past tactics to refocus attacks on American troops, Sunnis cooperating closely with US forces, and Iraq's infrastructure.

"Dedicate yourself to fighting the true enemy only, in order to avoid opening up new fronts against the Sunni Arabs," said the January 13 communique, signed by the leader of Al Qaida in Iraq, Abu Hamza Al Muhajer.

"Do not close the door of repentance in the face of those Sunnis who turned against us," said the message, posted in Anbar mosques frequented by the group's followers.

The communique does not order an end to attacks against Shiites and it was unclear whether the views of group members in Anbar would apply in parts of the country where Al Qaida in Iraq insurgents are more active.

American intelligence officials said the communique is consistent with the past leadership style of Al Muhajer, an Egyptian also known as Abu Ayoub Al Masri, who took command of the group in 2006.

"Al Zarqawi did a lot of just indiscriminate killing - it didn't matter when, where, why or how," said one senior intelligence analyst who, like others interviewed for this article, spoke on condition of anonymity under military ground rules.

"Al Masri is more picking his targets and trying to get away from the massive indiscriminate killings, because it created a big black eye for Al Qaida in Iraq."

The US military said it destroyed much of Al Qaida leadership in Iraq in 2007.

"We do not deny the difficulties we are facing right now," said Riyadh Al Ogaidi, 39, a senior leader, or emir, of Al Qaida in Iraq in the Garma region of eastern Anbar province. "The Americans have not defeated us, but the turnaround of the Sunnis against us had made us lose a lot and suffer very painfully."

Foreign fighters

Al Qaida in Iraq followers broke the fingers of men who smoked, whipped those who imbibed alcohol and banned shops from selling shampoo bottles that displayed images of women - actions that turned Sunnis against the group.

Al Ogaidi said the total number of Al Qaida in Iraq members across the country has plummeted from about 12,000 in June 2007 to about 3,500 today. He said the total number of foreigner fighters in Iraq is "in the tens - not more than 200".