An Iraqi provincial governor Saturday gave militants controlling a city near Baghdad one week to surrender as government forces made steady progress in an effort to end a weeks-long crisis. The Anbar governor’s ultimatum was directed at anti-government fighters who have held Fallujah for more than a month. It comes amid a protracted surge in violence with security forces grappling with near-daily attacks nationwide in addition to the fighting in the western desert province. Analysts and diplomats have called for the Shiite-led government to address Sunni grievances in order to undermine support for militants, but with April elections looming, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has taken a hard line. “People of Anbar, criminals have kidnapped Fallujah,” Governor Ahmed al-Dulaimi said in a statement. “But, I swear to God, we will achieve victory against injustice and Fallujah will return to normal.” Dulaimi gave anti-government fighters a week to lay down […]