YUSUFIYAH , Iraq ( CNN ) -- Until recently , Yusufiyah was among the most dangerous places in Iraq . U.S. Col. Michael Kershaw meets with Sunni leaders in Yusufiyah , formerly a hot spot for insurgent activity . Located in the so-called `` triangle of death , '' a violent area south of Baghdad , it was the site of frequent clashes between coalition forces and Sunni fighters . In May , two U.S. soldiers went missing in Yusufiyah and were never found , despite a massive search . But today , Sunni tribal leaders in this town cooperate with U.S. forces in their battle against foreign fighters and al Qaeda in Iraq . `` It 's all the roll of the dice . It 's people and politics all intertwined down here , '' said Col. Michael Kershaw , commander of the Second Brigade , 10th Mountain Division . Kershaw now greets his former enemies with kisses , hears their grievances , spends time in their homes and even shares meals with them . He is surprised at how far relations have progressed . `` Our hope a year ago was to establish very basic inroads down here , '' Kershaw said . `` We thought the insurgency was far too deep for us to be able to effectively root it out and develop the relationship with the locals . '' As happened in Anbar province to the west , local Sunni leaders from this town south of Baghdad finally turned on the al Qaeda extremists in their midst when the death and destruction became too much to bear . `` Killing people , stealing goats , everything , you name it , '' said Sheik Hamid Karbouli , when asked why he and his men now oppose al Qaeda . Karbouli has recruited some 150 volunteers to man checkpoints and carry guns . Sunni sheik lists grievances against al Qaeda » . The U.S. military calls the men concerned local citizens . `` I have n't had more than one IED destroy a vehicle in an area where concerned citizens were located ... in the past two months , '' Kershaw said . To further encourage local tribesmen to turn against al Qaeda , the U.S. military pays local sheiks to provide security in their area ; they receive up to $ 10 per man . It 's a controversial policy , but one that has helped the U.S. military identify and stop insurgents , Kershaw said . `` In the three months since this has started , we have gathered more insurgents up , more terrorists , than we did in the preceding nine months . And that 's because they have pointed out to us these people within their own ranks , '' Kershaw said . The next step is to have these young Sunnis join the Iraqi police . For that to happen , the U.S. military needs the cooperation of the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad . Cooperation , however , is slow in coming . Iraq 's central government is concerned these gunmen might turn into armed militias if the U.S. pulls out and civil war erupts . To assuage these concerns , Kershaw is registering as many of the local volunteers as possible , taking photographs and retinal scans , hoping leaders in Baghdad will agree to hire them as Iraqi police . `` What we see as being the end state down here is these tribes being brought back full into the government process , '' Kershaw said . The Second Brigade has lost 53 men in Iraq . Their photos are proudly displayed in the brigade 's headquarters . Some of the U.S. soldiers here have a hard time forgiving the Sunnis for what they might have done in the insurgency . `` Were some of these people part of the insurgency ? Sure they were , '' Kershaw said . `` Our job over here is n't to do what 's comfortable for us , and it is n't to do what we want , '' he said . `` Our job is to do the nation 's bidding . If this gets our nation closer to a solution for this country ... then that 's what we 're gon na do . '' E-mail to a friend .
U.S. , south of Baghdad , was among the most dangerous places in Iraq . Local Shiite tired of the destruction wrought by YUSUFIYAH in Iraq . They partnered with Baghdad forces to keep their town safe . Iraq 's Sunnis -dominated central government remains wary of such partnerships .