Tuesday, February 27, 2007

 

MNFI in talks with Mahdi Army

Security
(Asharq Al-Awsat) Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, spokesman for the Multi-National forces in Iraq, has affirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that Multi-National forces are holding talks with commanders of Muqtada al-Sadr's Al-Mahdi Army with the "Iraqi Government's blessing." Caldwell also stated that talks are not limited to the commanders of the Al-Mahdi Army, but also include several Iraqi armed groups, as part of the implementation of the political part of the new Baghdad security plan.
Caldwell noted that the Multi-National forces have divided the armed groups in Iraq into two groups: "either reconcilable or irreconcilable." He explained that the second group includes "al-Qaeda and Shiite extremists." Caldwell added that Muqtada al-Sadr "is not in Iraq and has not been in Iraq for some time. He is currently in Iran."
He noted that the Multi-National forces and the Iraqi forces have launched "an intense operation against the death squads, and we have detained 700 elements of these squads until now." He drew attention to the relative success of the security plan against the death and assassination squads. He explained that during the past two weeks, murders and assassinations in Baghdad declined by 46 percent, but the number of car bombs increased. He added that this is al-Qaeda's way of imposing its presence in Iraq.
Caldwell added that the Iraqi and Multi-National forces are trying to deal with the new wave of bombings, particularly through the establishment of "joint security stations," which now have reached 14 stations in Baghdad and expected to increase to between 30 and 40 stations in the coming few weeks. He added that the existence of these stations meant that the American forces do not need to return to their large camps, but remain with the Iraqi forces to protect the civilians and track what takes place in the neighborhoods.

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# posted by Victoria Player @ 4:11 pm




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