Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Anbar tribes and politicians blame al-Maliki's govt for death of tribal leaders
Tribal, Security
(Azzaman) - There is fury and anger in the rebellious Province of Anbar where tribes and politicians blame the government of Nouri al-Maliki for the killing of five of the province’s most senior tribal chiefs. Five sheiks were among 12 people killed when an explosion ripped through the conference hall where they were to meet to explore ways of reinstating stability in the violent province.
The government blamed a suicide bomber but the power of the explosion and the collapse of the ceiling as well as tight security at one of Baghdad’s most fortified and guarded hotels gives the government’s version little credence. The Sunni sheiks had traveled to Baghdad to attend a conference at the hotel Mansour Melia to meet with Shiite counterparts on ways to stem al-Qaeda influence in Iraq.
The early afternoon attack was of a force which experts say was impossible to have been caused by a suicide bomber. Maliki had publicly criticized attempts to arm the tribes in their struggle against al-Qaeda elements in their areas. Anbar is an al-Qaeda hotbed where the group is almost in total control of large swathes of the country’s largest province.
Repeated U.S. military offensives have failed to dislodge the group whose fighters have inflicted heavy losses on U.S. troops and armor. Maliki’s government and U.S. officials have blamed al-Qaeda but the group which usually brags about its operations has yet to issue a statement on the explosion. The bombing is a severe blow to U.S. efforts and its emerging alliance between Sunni tribal leaders and the country’s Shiite majority.
The government blamed a suicide bomber but the power of the explosion and the collapse of the ceiling as well as tight security at one of Baghdad’s most fortified and guarded hotels gives the government’s version little credence. The Sunni sheiks had traveled to Baghdad to attend a conference at the hotel Mansour Melia to meet with Shiite counterparts on ways to stem al-Qaeda influence in Iraq.
The early afternoon attack was of a force which experts say was impossible to have been caused by a suicide bomber. Maliki had publicly criticized attempts to arm the tribes in their struggle against al-Qaeda elements in their areas. Anbar is an al-Qaeda hotbed where the group is almost in total control of large swathes of the country’s largest province.
Repeated U.S. military offensives have failed to dislodge the group whose fighters have inflicted heavy losses on U.S. troops and armor. Maliki’s government and U.S. officials have blamed al-Qaeda but the group which usually brags about its operations has yet to issue a statement on the explosion. The bombing is a severe blow to U.S. efforts and its emerging alliance between Sunni tribal leaders and the country’s Shiite majority.
Labels: Al Anbar, Mansour Hotel, Nouri Al-Maliki, tribal leaders
