The New York Times, one of the few American newspapers left with full-time staff in Iraq, reported last week that 15 members of neighborhood governments in Baqouba, a city north of Baghdad, recently resigned because of fears they’d be murdered by Sunni jihadis.

The paper quoted the head of the Baqouba city council as saying the officials resigned ‘to save their family members’ lives because of living under threats from Al Qaeda and militants.