Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Over 3,000 police officers sacked
Security
Iraq's National Police is being completely reorganized and over 3,000 officers have been dismissed, the Iraqi interior ministry spokesman has said. Brigadier General Abdel Karim Khalaf told reporters at a press conference in the heavily fortified Green Zone on Tuesday that 1,228 had been sacked for breaking the law while nearly 2,000 more were dismissed for dereliction of duty. "This restructuring was applied this week to the leadership of the National Police," Khalaf said. "The headquarters of the two divisions were dissolved and all brigades were brought directly under the commander of the National Police." The interior minister, Jawad al-Bolani, was chosen by the national unity government specifically for his lack of ties to the political parties. Ultimately, however, it appeared this lack of a political base hampered his abilities to effect reforms.
