Sheikh Naim al-Gaoud, a Sunni Muslim leader of the Albu Nimr tribe, called for more U.S. intervention in the region, including ground troops and arming tribes directly, CNNreported Saturday.

U.S. officials have insisted that the terrorist group is on the run in Iraq in Syria, but Mr. al-Gaoud told reporters that that is not the case in Anabar.

“In Anabar, we’re losing ground, not gaining,” he said, according to CNN.

Islamic State fighters had been laying siege on the Anabar town of Jubbat al-Shamiya until U.S. led coalition airstrikes pushed the militants out on Friday.