Sunday, November 11, 2007
Iraq - Iran pipeline may be built
Oil
(UPI) -- Iraq and Iran may be moving ahead on a cross-river oil pipeline, a move the Iraq ministry has talked about but was further down the road. Media reports are carrying the word of a source in Iraq’s South Oil Co. that the pipeline construction has started. The South Oil Co. is a state-owned entity producing and transporting oil from Basra and surrounding areas, where 80 percent of Iraq’s oil reserves are located.
The Kuwait News Agency reports the construction of the pipeline between ports in Basra and the Abaadan port in Iran, crossing the Shatt al-Arab river. The pipeline capacity would be 200,000 barrels per day, and provide another route for Iraq exports and allowing an increase in production, the Al Mashriq newspaper reports.
Iraq produces just over 2 million barrels per day right now, but with 115 billion barrels of proven reserves, it could handle much more. Iraq and Iran had apparently signed a deal on the pipeline, though details are not known. Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani has confirmed it as one of many options to increase production and exports of the oil.
Labels: Abaadan port, Basra, Hussain al-Shahristani, Iran, Iraq, oil pipeline, South Oil Company
Monday, October 08, 2007
Basra police chief steps up to militia challenge
Security
The Iraqi government, along with political forces, are following with concern the situation in Basra province, with the withdrawal of the British military continuing in the forthcoming months until a full withdrawal is implemented. General Abdul Jalil Khalaf, Basra police chief, told Gulf News: "The task is very difficult and conditions are extremely dangerous because each party believes that it represents the law, and each element thinks of himself as a state hero. The city includes tens or even hundreds of militias and I am ready for the task."
Statistics at the University of Basra indicates that there are about 250,000 individuals involved in the armed militias and around 144 militia groups.
There are the militias of the Dawa party headed by Nouri Al Maliki, the Badr Brigades headed by Hadi Al Ameri affiliated to Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, the Mahdi Army of Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr, the Hezbollah movement militia led by Hassan Sari, Hezbollah affiliated to Abdul Kareem Al Muhamadawi, the Fadhila party militias belong to Mohammad Al Yacoubi and other small resistance militias in the south as Imam Ali rebels, Hassan and Hussain rebels and Al Ridha followers.
The oil-rich city consists of 40 to 55 private militia who specialise in oil smuggling to Iran and stealing copper wires from electric grids. Abdul Hadi, an Iraqi army officer in Basra, told Gulf News: "The most dangerous militia is the police and security forces' militias because they have weapons and work in the name of the law. These are groups that consist of between 40 to 90 members who agree to implement kidnapping and blackmail operations or condone gang activities for major financial commissions."
Basra, especially Faw and Majnoon Islands, includes the richest oil fields in the region as well as bunches of palm orchards which yield the best types of dates in the world.
Fadhil Al Jamaly, an economic researcher, told Gulf News: "The issue of oil is the essence of conflict between armed militias, whether these are affiliated to political parties or smuggling gangs. I believe fighting will break out between the outlaw armed groups because of the weakness of state security forces and also the penetration of these militias in these forces, besides seizing land and dates palms is no less important than oil for the armed groups."
Recently, the dispute settlement body in Basra reported that armed militias affiliated to political parties, gangs and powerful individuals seized thousands of houses and real estate.
Statistics at the University of Basra indicates that there are about 250,000 individuals involved in the armed militias and around 144 militia groups.
There are the militias of the Dawa party headed by Nouri Al Maliki, the Badr Brigades headed by Hadi Al Ameri affiliated to Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, the Mahdi Army of Shiite leader Moqtada Sadr, the Hezbollah movement militia led by Hassan Sari, Hezbollah affiliated to Abdul Kareem Al Muhamadawi, the Fadhila party militias belong to Mohammad Al Yacoubi and other small resistance militias in the south as Imam Ali rebels, Hassan and Hussain rebels and Al Ridha followers.
The oil-rich city consists of 40 to 55 private militia who specialise in oil smuggling to Iran and stealing copper wires from electric grids. Abdul Hadi, an Iraqi army officer in Basra, told Gulf News: "The most dangerous militia is the police and security forces' militias because they have weapons and work in the name of the law. These are groups that consist of between 40 to 90 members who agree to implement kidnapping and blackmail operations or condone gang activities for major financial commissions."
Basra, especially Faw and Majnoon Islands, includes the richest oil fields in the region as well as bunches of palm orchards which yield the best types of dates in the world.
Fadhil Al Jamaly, an economic researcher, told Gulf News: "The issue of oil is the essence of conflict between armed militias, whether these are affiliated to political parties or smuggling gangs. I believe fighting will break out between the outlaw armed groups because of the weakness of state security forces and also the penetration of these militias in these forces, besides seizing land and dates palms is no less important than oil for the armed groups."
Recently, the dispute settlement body in Basra reported that armed militias affiliated to political parties, gangs and powerful individuals seized thousands of houses and real estate.
Labels: Al Ridha followers, Badr Brigade, Basra, Dawa party, Fadhila Party, General Abdul Jalil Khalaf, Hassan and Hussain rebels, Hezbollah, Imam Ali rebels, Mahdi Army, militias
Gordon Brown to make cuts in troop numbers
(The Guardian) - Gordon Brown will today offer the prospect of deep cuts early next year in the number of British troops in Iraq as well as asylum to some Iraqis, including interpreters, who have helped the army there over the last four years. He is also expected to outline an aid and investment package to boost the economy and quality of life of those who live in a region which has the potential of being one of the richest in the Middle East.
The prime minister said in his BBC interview yesterday that his statement on Iraq to MPs was "not simply about what's happening by Christmas" - a reference to his hotly disputed announcement in Baghdad last week that the number of British troops in southern Iraq would be cut by 1,000 by then. His Commons statement, he said, would be "far more comprehensive". It would cover "security, political reconciliation, economic reconstruction". He added: "And there are other aspects of what we can do to improve the security of our military forces and those who help us on the ground."
The prime minister is expected to say that Britain will hand over responsibility for security throughout Basra province to Iraqi forces within the next two months. In that time, the total number of British troops will fall to 4,500. Though this is 1,000 less than the existing official full complement, a 500 cut in that figure had already been announced and 250 of those had already flown home. The number is likely to be reduced by at least a further 1,500 next May, leaving a force of 3,000. But Mr Brown is expected to hold out the option of basing most of those in Kuwait, leaving a much smaller garrison at Basra airport, Britain's last remaining base in Iraq.
British troops have already ended their combat role in southern Iraq. In future, they will take on what is called an "overwatch" role - helping Iraqi security forces in the event of a crisis. They will also continue to train Iraqi forces, carry out patrols along the border with Iran in an attempt to hinder weapons smuggling, and help protect convoys delivering supplies from Kuwait to US forces in northern and central Iraq.
The number of attacks on British forces has fallen dramatically since the army handed over to Iraqi forces the Basra Palace, the last British base in the city, last month. British military commanders have recently been holding talks with Shia militia, including the radical cleric Moqtada al Sadr's Mahdi Army, and released militia members suspected of being involved in attacks on British troops, in what they call a new reconciliation process.
British commanders appear to have squared the US, who, despite allegations of indisciplined, trigger-happy employees of the Blackwater private security company, is expected to hire more private contractors to protect supply convoys. However, British defence officials remain concerned about the prospect of US forces having to "fill in" for absent British soldiers in the event of renewed heavy fighting in the area. That is one risk British military chiefs want to avoid.
The prime minister said in his BBC interview yesterday that his statement on Iraq to MPs was "not simply about what's happening by Christmas" - a reference to his hotly disputed announcement in Baghdad last week that the number of British troops in southern Iraq would be cut by 1,000 by then. His Commons statement, he said, would be "far more comprehensive". It would cover "security, political reconciliation, economic reconstruction". He added: "And there are other aspects of what we can do to improve the security of our military forces and those who help us on the ground."
The prime minister is expected to say that Britain will hand over responsibility for security throughout Basra province to Iraqi forces within the next two months. In that time, the total number of British troops will fall to 4,500. Though this is 1,000 less than the existing official full complement, a 500 cut in that figure had already been announced and 250 of those had already flown home. The number is likely to be reduced by at least a further 1,500 next May, leaving a force of 3,000. But Mr Brown is expected to hold out the option of basing most of those in Kuwait, leaving a much smaller garrison at Basra airport, Britain's last remaining base in Iraq.
British troops have already ended their combat role in southern Iraq. In future, they will take on what is called an "overwatch" role - helping Iraqi security forces in the event of a crisis. They will also continue to train Iraqi forces, carry out patrols along the border with Iran in an attempt to hinder weapons smuggling, and help protect convoys delivering supplies from Kuwait to US forces in northern and central Iraq.
The number of attacks on British forces has fallen dramatically since the army handed over to Iraqi forces the Basra Palace, the last British base in the city, last month. British military commanders have recently been holding talks with Shia militia, including the radical cleric Moqtada al Sadr's Mahdi Army, and released militia members suspected of being involved in attacks on British troops, in what they call a new reconciliation process.
British commanders appear to have squared the US, who, despite allegations of indisciplined, trigger-happy employees of the Blackwater private security company, is expected to hire more private contractors to protect supply convoys. However, British defence officials remain concerned about the prospect of US forces having to "fill in" for absent British soldiers in the event of renewed heavy fighting in the area. That is one risk British military chiefs want to avoid.
Labels: asylum, Basra, British troops, Gordon Brown, Iraqi interpreters
Friday, October 05, 2007
Women in Basra targeted by religious extremists
Security
(McClatchy Newspapers) - Women in Basra have become the targets of a violent campaign by religious extremists, who leave more than 15 female bodies scattered around the city each month, police officers say. Maj. Gen. Abdel Jalil Khalaf, the commander of Basra's police, said Thursday that self-styled enforcers of religious law threatened, beat and sometimes shot women who they believed weren't sufficiently Muslim.
"This is a new type of terror that Basra is not familiar with," he said. "These gangs represent only themselves, and they are far outside religious, forgiving instructions of Islam." Often, he said, the "crime" is no more than wearing Western clothes or not wearing a head scarf.
Before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, Iraqi women had had rights enshrined in the country's constitution since 1959 that were among the broadest of any Arab or Islamic nation. However, while the new constitution says that women are equal under the law, critics have condemned a provision that says no law can contradict the "established rulings" of Islam as weakening women's rights.
The vigilantes patrol the streets of Basra on motorbikes or in cars with dark-tinted windows and no license plates. They accost women who aren't wearing the traditional robe and head scarf known as hijab. Religious extremists in the city also have been known to attack men for clothes or even haircuts deemed too Western.
Like all of southern Iraq, Basra is populated mostly by Shiite Muslims, so sectarian violence isn't a major problem, but security has deteriorated as Shiite militias fight each other for power. British troops in the area pulled out last month.
Khalaf, who has a reputation for outspokenness in a city where that can get you killed, scoffed at the groups, calling them no better than criminal gangs. He said he didn't care if some were affiliated with the militias, he planned to crack down on them. "If there is a red line related to the insurgents and militias, we will pass it over, because it's one of the factors that destroy the society," he said.
The violence is displacing the few members of religious minorities in the area. Fuad Na'im, one of a handful of Christians left in the city, said Thursday that the way his wife dressed made the whole family a target. "I was with my wife few days ago when two young men driving a motorbike stopped me and asked her about her clothes and why she doesn't wear hijab," he said. "When I told them that we are Christians, they beat us badly, and I would be dead if some people nearby hadn't intervened."
That was enough, he said. "I'm about to leave the city where I was born and where my father and grandfather were buried, because I can't live in a place where we're asked about our clothes, food and drink."
"This is a new type of terror that Basra is not familiar with," he said. "These gangs represent only themselves, and they are far outside religious, forgiving instructions of Islam." Often, he said, the "crime" is no more than wearing Western clothes or not wearing a head scarf.
Before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, Iraqi women had had rights enshrined in the country's constitution since 1959 that were among the broadest of any Arab or Islamic nation. However, while the new constitution says that women are equal under the law, critics have condemned a provision that says no law can contradict the "established rulings" of Islam as weakening women's rights.
The vigilantes patrol the streets of Basra on motorbikes or in cars with dark-tinted windows and no license plates. They accost women who aren't wearing the traditional robe and head scarf known as hijab. Religious extremists in the city also have been known to attack men for clothes or even haircuts deemed too Western.
Like all of southern Iraq, Basra is populated mostly by Shiite Muslims, so sectarian violence isn't a major problem, but security has deteriorated as Shiite militias fight each other for power. British troops in the area pulled out last month.
Khalaf, who has a reputation for outspokenness in a city where that can get you killed, scoffed at the groups, calling them no better than criminal gangs. He said he didn't care if some were affiliated with the militias, he planned to crack down on them. "If there is a red line related to the insurgents and militias, we will pass it over, because it's one of the factors that destroy the society," he said.
The violence is displacing the few members of religious minorities in the area. Fuad Na'im, one of a handful of Christians left in the city, said Thursday that the way his wife dressed made the whole family a target. "I was with my wife few days ago when two young men driving a motorbike stopped me and asked her about her clothes and why she doesn't wear hijab," he said. "When I told them that we are Christians, they beat us badly, and I would be dead if some people nearby hadn't intervened."
That was enough, he said. "I'm about to leave the city where I was born and where my father and grandfather were buried, because I can't live in a place where we're asked about our clothes, food and drink."
Labels: Basra, Maj. Gen. Abdel Jalil Khalaf, women
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Attack shuts down Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline
Oil
(UPI) - The international oil market will still have to rely on Basra to supply Iraq's oil exports as an apparent attack shuts down the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline again. The pipeline is key to increasing Iraq exports, providing the capacity to increased production. The Bush administration, during benchmark stump speeches last week, held up the newly reopened pipeline as a success story.
Iraq produced just less than 2 million barrels per day last month, according to estimates by the global energy information firm Platts. The country usually exports slightly more than three-fourths of what it produces. Most of that is coming from export terminals in Basra, in south Iraq, since attacks on the pipeline feeding oil to a terminal in Ceyhan, Turkey, has rendered it virtually useless.
Media reports are quoting sources on the ground that a pre-dawn bomb ripped open the pipeline between Kirkuk and Baiji, sending oil into the Tigris River, forcing water pumps in Tikrit and Baiji to shut down and threatening the supply into Baghdad. Last month Iraq officials gave a hushed admission that the line had been repaired and oil was flowing to Turkey, most likely in test quantities, said Rochdi Younsi, Middle East analyst for the business risk firm Eurasia Group.
"They did say that they were completing a series of tests that appear to be promising, tests meaning that they were pumping a certain volume through the pipeline," Younsi said. "But frankly no one expected the Iraqi government to make an announcement because doing that usually leads to an attack." Iraq recently announced an Oct. 5 tender for shipments of oil from Ceyhan, a move that comes after enough oil had been shipped to storage tanks there.
"Yesterday a report came out saying basically that exports of oil through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline had been abruptly interrupted for the past six days, which basically implies that it was working before that," Younsi said. "And then this morning we heard about the explosions." Younsi said it is an added dynamic in the power struggle in Iraq. Kurds in the relatively safe and semi-autonomous northern region will be "growing impatient with the deterioration of security in that area," which the federal government controls.
Iraq produced just less than 2 million barrels per day last month, according to estimates by the global energy information firm Platts. The country usually exports slightly more than three-fourths of what it produces. Most of that is coming from export terminals in Basra, in south Iraq, since attacks on the pipeline feeding oil to a terminal in Ceyhan, Turkey, has rendered it virtually useless.
Media reports are quoting sources on the ground that a pre-dawn bomb ripped open the pipeline between Kirkuk and Baiji, sending oil into the Tigris River, forcing water pumps in Tikrit and Baiji to shut down and threatening the supply into Baghdad. Last month Iraq officials gave a hushed admission that the line had been repaired and oil was flowing to Turkey, most likely in test quantities, said Rochdi Younsi, Middle East analyst for the business risk firm Eurasia Group.
"They did say that they were completing a series of tests that appear to be promising, tests meaning that they were pumping a certain volume through the pipeline," Younsi said. "But frankly no one expected the Iraqi government to make an announcement because doing that usually leads to an attack." Iraq recently announced an Oct. 5 tender for shipments of oil from Ceyhan, a move that comes after enough oil had been shipped to storage tanks there.
"Yesterday a report came out saying basically that exports of oil through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline had been abruptly interrupted for the past six days, which basically implies that it was working before that," Younsi said. "And then this morning we heard about the explosions." Younsi said it is an added dynamic in the power struggle in Iraq. Kurds in the relatively safe and semi-autonomous northern region will be "growing impatient with the deterioration of security in that area," which the federal government controls.
Labels: attack, Basra, Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, oil
Sistani aide survives assassination attempt in Basra
Security
(Voices of Iraq) - An aide to the top Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani survived on Tuesday evening an attempt on his life in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, an eyewitness said. "Unknown gunmen opened fire at Imad Abdul-Karim, Imam of Mosa al-Kadhem mosque, this evening, in al-Hussein neighborhood, western Basra," Sheikh Saied al-Saadi told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The eyewitness added "Abdul-Karim sustained minor wounds and was taken to a nearby hospital." Abdul Karim is a representative of Sayyed Sistani in Basra. The attack also resulted in killing one of Abdul-Karim's bodyguards, the witness said. Over the last two weeks, two aides to Sistani were killed in separate attacks in Basra.
The eyewitness added "Abdul-Karim sustained minor wounds and was taken to a nearby hospital." Abdul Karim is a representative of Sayyed Sistani in Basra. The attack also resulted in killing one of Abdul-Karim's bodyguards, the witness said. Over the last two weeks, two aides to Sistani were killed in separate attacks in Basra.
Labels: assassination attempt, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Basra, Imad Abdul-Karim, Mosa al-Kadhem mosque
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Insurgents target Iraqi interpreters in Basra
Security
(UPI) - There were unconfirmed reports Monday Iraqi insurgents targeting Basra citizens who worked for British forces had abducted and killed a former interpreter. Police Col. Ali Manshed told a Times of London correspondent the bullet-riddled body of Moayed Ahmed Khalaf had been found dumped in a city street.
Three other sources said about 10 men stormed the man's house and beat him in front of his wife and mother before taking him away. While the sources said Khalaf had worked as an interpreter for British forces, a military spokesman told the newspaper the army could find no record of Khalaf's employment.
Iraqis who worked for the British are considered collaborators by insurgents and when the British turned over their downtown Basra post to the Iraqi army two weeks ago, Iraqi officials warned former employees to seek safety elsewhere. "All the people who worked for the British forces are not safe now," Manshed told the newspaper. "Even people who quit one or two years ago are in danger."
Three other sources said about 10 men stormed the man's house and beat him in front of his wife and mother before taking him away. While the sources said Khalaf had worked as an interpreter for British forces, a military spokesman told the newspaper the army could find no record of Khalaf's employment.
Iraqis who worked for the British are considered collaborators by insurgents and when the British turned over their downtown Basra post to the Iraqi army two weeks ago, Iraqi officials warned former employees to seek safety elsewhere. "All the people who worked for the British forces are not safe now," Manshed told the newspaper. "Even people who quit one or two years ago are in danger."
Labels: Basra, Basrah, British military, insurgents, Iraqi interpreters, Moayed Ahmed Khalaf
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Petraeus decides not to send U.S. troops to Basra
Security
(AFP) - The US military is taking a "wait and see" stance on developments in the southern Iraqi port of Basra but believes the Iraqi military can handle violence between factions competing for power, the US commander in Iraq said Wednesday. General David Petraeus said some small US special forces elements may be sent to the south to work with Iraqi forces, but not a larger US presence as Britain scales back its mission in the south.
"So I think we're in a wait-and-see approach with Basra. But we have every expectation that Basra will be resolved by Iraqis," he said at a press conference here. Petraeus, who was grilled by Congress for two days about the situation in Iraq, is scheduled to depart next week for London for talks on Britain's plans in Iraq.
The 5,500-British force has been pulled into an air base outside Basra since last week's handover of its last base inside the city, and plans call for reducing that force by 500 troops in the coming weeks. The British pull-back from bases in the south has been accompanied by a rise of factional violence among Shiite militias competing for control of the oil rich region, which has Iraq's only major port on the Gulf. Petraeus said the violence has subsided over the past month because of accommodations worked out by the Iraqis.
There are "lots of challenges, don't get me wrong," he said. "There's militia infiltration... All these different parties have elements and different structures in Iraq. "But they have come to accommodations that are allowing the functioning of activities down there. And, certainly, the oil has been flowing and the ports have been moving, and all the rest of that.
Petraeus said a four star Iraqi general has been assigned to the south and the Iraqi are moving in a special operations forces battalion and elements of a mechanized battalion while swapping out some army brigades. "In many cases, in that area, the presence of those forces, again, when it comes to intra-Shia rivalries, can sometimes be enough to keep the situation one in which they're shouting rather than shooting," he said.
"So I think we're in a wait-and-see approach with Basra. But we have every expectation that Basra will be resolved by Iraqis," he said at a press conference here. Petraeus, who was grilled by Congress for two days about the situation in Iraq, is scheduled to depart next week for London for talks on Britain's plans in Iraq.
The 5,500-British force has been pulled into an air base outside Basra since last week's handover of its last base inside the city, and plans call for reducing that force by 500 troops in the coming weeks. The British pull-back from bases in the south has been accompanied by a rise of factional violence among Shiite militias competing for control of the oil rich region, which has Iraq's only major port on the Gulf. Petraeus said the violence has subsided over the past month because of accommodations worked out by the Iraqis.
There are "lots of challenges, don't get me wrong," he said. "There's militia infiltration... All these different parties have elements and different structures in Iraq. "But they have come to accommodations that are allowing the functioning of activities down there. And, certainly, the oil has been flowing and the ports have been moving, and all the rest of that.
Petraeus said a four star Iraqi general has been assigned to the south and the Iraqi are moving in a special operations forces battalion and elements of a mechanized battalion while swapping out some army brigades. "In many cases, in that area, the presence of those forces, again, when it comes to intra-Shia rivalries, can sometimes be enough to keep the situation one in which they're shouting rather than shooting," he said.
Labels: Basra, General David Petraeus, security, Shiite militias, U.S. troops
Monday, September 10, 2007
Al-Sadr picks 12-man council to reorganise Mahdi Army
Politics, Security
(AP) -- Iraq's most powerful Shiite militia leader is turning to his commanders who distinguished themselves fighting U.S. troops in 2004 to screen fighters, weed out criminals and assume key positions in an effort to build a more disciplined force, two of his key lieutenants say. That suggests the goal of Muqtada al-Sadr's temporary freeze of Mahdi Army activities, announced Aug. 29 following deadly Shiite-Shiite clashes in Karbala, is to bolster the militia to intimidate his Shiite rivals as the anti-American cleric pursues his political ambitions.
A stronger and more efficient Mahdi Army could embolden al-Sadr to take on the rival Badr militia, a move that could fragment and weaken the country's majority Shiites as gunmen battle for control of Shiite towns and cities. Thousands of young, impoverished Shiites flocked to al-Sadr's standard after he founded the Mahdi Army a few months after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. But bands of young gunmen used the Mahdi Army's name as a cover for extortion, black marketeering and other crimes.
The task of weeding out militiamen with suspect loyalty and screening new recruits already has begun and will take months to complete, according to the two al-Sadr lieutenants, who also are militia leaders who fought the Americans in Najaf in the summer of 2004 and in Sadr City in the fall. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to share the information with the media and for fear of reprisals. "The (Mahdi) army will be stronger and better organized," said one of them. Both said the screening and reorganization process will be supervised nationwide by a 12-man council hand-picked by al-Sadr.
Under the new procedures, militiamen serving now in the ranks as well as new applicants must prove they have no criminal record, never worked for security agencies under Saddam and must submit written statements from three known community members vouching for their good character."Those who are found to be not telling the truth about their past will be expelled and maybe punished too," the other militia leader said. "Senior commanders who deliberately or unwittingly allow such individuals to slip through and join or retain their place in the militia will be punished too."
If the reorganization goes according to plan, the new Mahdi Army should emerge as a more disciplined and organized force - similar to its main Shiite rival, the Badr Organization, which is linked to the biggest Shiite party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council. Tension between Mahdi and Badr has been steadily rising and a showdown between them is widely expected for domination of the Shiite south, which includes most of the oil wealth and major religious shrines. Control of the shrines brings millions of dollars in donations from Shiites worldwide.
Al-Sadr is not likely to risk a head-on confrontation with the U.S. military as in 2004. But a stronger Mahdi Army would enable him to resist Washington's repeated calls to disband the militias, blamed for the wave of sectarian bloodshed that escalated last year. A Mahdi Army firmly under al-Sadr's control could reduce what the U.S. military says are attacks by rogue Shiite militiamen controlled by Iran.
Last June, those rogue militiamen accounted for nearly 75 percent of the attacks against U.S. troops in the Baghdad area that caused casualties. Both the government of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a one-time close ally of al-Sadr, and the U.S. military welcomed the decision to take the Mahdi Army out of action. However, there are worrying signs that the freeze is only a cover to buy al-Sadr time to overhaul the militia, improving its mobility and combat readiness.
Al-Sadr's supporters in Basra, Iraq's second largest city, did not sign a "charter of honor" reached by representatives of 30 groups and militias there to keep the peace after British troops completed their withdrawal from the city last week. Residents say the Mahdi Army says it is now entitled to Basra, arguing that it was its almost nightly shelling of British bases in the city and other attacks that forced them to leave. Al-Sadr's representatives in Basra have also warned they would fight U.S. troops if they move into Basra in the case of a security vacuum. "They say they fought the British, so Basra is theirs," said Dagher al-Moussawi, a Shiite lawmaker.
In Sadr City, armed Mahdi Army militiamen stayed off the streets soon after al-Sadr made his Aug. 29 announcement but several were seen in the district over the weekend with some carrying what appeared to be U.S.-made M-4 assault rifles, the type used by American troops. There have been reports in the United States that some of the weapons destined for Iraq's security forces have disappeared and remain unaccounted for.
Another Shiite lawmaker, who demanded anonymity for fear of reprisals, said the freeze was designed in part to spare the militia the ongoing campaign by U.S. forces and their Iraqi allies against militiamen suspected of involvement in attacks or sectarian violence. "He wants to save the Mahdi Army by taking it out and use the time to improve it," he said.
Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq, told reporters last week that mainstream Mahdi Army fighters were observing al-Sadr's order for a freeze, while U.S. military statements continue to speak of sustained attacks by "extremist" or "criminal" militiamen. "Our assumption is that these groups are not honoring al-Sadr's orders and thus will not be subject to the restraint we have observed for those who are responding to al-Sadr's orders," said a military statement issued Sept. 4.
A stronger and more efficient Mahdi Army could embolden al-Sadr to take on the rival Badr militia, a move that could fragment and weaken the country's majority Shiites as gunmen battle for control of Shiite towns and cities. Thousands of young, impoverished Shiites flocked to al-Sadr's standard after he founded the Mahdi Army a few months after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. But bands of young gunmen used the Mahdi Army's name as a cover for extortion, black marketeering and other crimes.
The task of weeding out militiamen with suspect loyalty and screening new recruits already has begun and will take months to complete, according to the two al-Sadr lieutenants, who also are militia leaders who fought the Americans in Najaf in the summer of 2004 and in Sadr City in the fall. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to share the information with the media and for fear of reprisals. "The (Mahdi) army will be stronger and better organized," said one of them. Both said the screening and reorganization process will be supervised nationwide by a 12-man council hand-picked by al-Sadr.
Under the new procedures, militiamen serving now in the ranks as well as new applicants must prove they have no criminal record, never worked for security agencies under Saddam and must submit written statements from three known community members vouching for their good character."Those who are found to be not telling the truth about their past will be expelled and maybe punished too," the other militia leader said. "Senior commanders who deliberately or unwittingly allow such individuals to slip through and join or retain their place in the militia will be punished too."
If the reorganization goes according to plan, the new Mahdi Army should emerge as a more disciplined and organized force - similar to its main Shiite rival, the Badr Organization, which is linked to the biggest Shiite party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council. Tension between Mahdi and Badr has been steadily rising and a showdown between them is widely expected for domination of the Shiite south, which includes most of the oil wealth and major religious shrines. Control of the shrines brings millions of dollars in donations from Shiites worldwide.
Al-Sadr is not likely to risk a head-on confrontation with the U.S. military as in 2004. But a stronger Mahdi Army would enable him to resist Washington's repeated calls to disband the militias, blamed for the wave of sectarian bloodshed that escalated last year. A Mahdi Army firmly under al-Sadr's control could reduce what the U.S. military says are attacks by rogue Shiite militiamen controlled by Iran.
Last June, those rogue militiamen accounted for nearly 75 percent of the attacks against U.S. troops in the Baghdad area that caused casualties. Both the government of Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a one-time close ally of al-Sadr, and the U.S. military welcomed the decision to take the Mahdi Army out of action. However, there are worrying signs that the freeze is only a cover to buy al-Sadr time to overhaul the militia, improving its mobility and combat readiness.
Al-Sadr's supporters in Basra, Iraq's second largest city, did not sign a "charter of honor" reached by representatives of 30 groups and militias there to keep the peace after British troops completed their withdrawal from the city last week. Residents say the Mahdi Army says it is now entitled to Basra, arguing that it was its almost nightly shelling of British bases in the city and other attacks that forced them to leave. Al-Sadr's representatives in Basra have also warned they would fight U.S. troops if they move into Basra in the case of a security vacuum. "They say they fought the British, so Basra is theirs," said Dagher al-Moussawi, a Shiite lawmaker.
In Sadr City, armed Mahdi Army militiamen stayed off the streets soon after al-Sadr made his Aug. 29 announcement but several were seen in the district over the weekend with some carrying what appeared to be U.S.-made M-4 assault rifles, the type used by American troops. There have been reports in the United States that some of the weapons destined for Iraq's security forces have disappeared and remain unaccounted for.
Another Shiite lawmaker, who demanded anonymity for fear of reprisals, said the freeze was designed in part to spare the militia the ongoing campaign by U.S. forces and their Iraqi allies against militiamen suspected of involvement in attacks or sectarian violence. "He wants to save the Mahdi Army by taking it out and use the time to improve it," he said.
Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq, told reporters last week that mainstream Mahdi Army fighters were observing al-Sadr's order for a freeze, while U.S. military statements continue to speak of sustained attacks by "extremist" or "criminal" militiamen. "Our assumption is that these groups are not honoring al-Sadr's orders and thus will not be subject to the restraint we have observed for those who are responding to al-Sadr's orders," said a military statement issued Sept. 4.
Labels: Badr Corps, Basra, Mahdi Army, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Sadr City
250 British troops to leave Iraq in four weeks
Military
(The Observer) - Britain's military deployment in southern Iraq is to be cut by 500 to 5,000 over the next few months, the Ministry of Defence announced yesterday, just six days after British troops withdrew from their base at Basra Palace. A battle group of 250 men from the King's Royal Hussars have been told they will be returning early to the UK within four weeks. Further reductions will be implemented in the coming months.
The MoD said that yesterday's announcement was part of a long-standing plan outlined in July when the Defence Secretary Des Browne said that troop numbers would be cut to 5,000 once Basra Palace was successfully handed over to Iraqi authorities. British troops are now based at Basra airport.
An MoD spokesman said: 'This morning, the Kings Royal Hussars Battle Group - approximately 250 men - were told that as part of these reductions, their tour is being cut short and they will return to the UK over the course of the next four weeks. The remaining reductions will be achieved in the coming months as part of ongoing manpower reviews. Achieving these reductions has long been our stated aim.'
The troop reduction announcement came as a key British figure in Iraq told how he chatted with 'furious' UK-born Muslims who had travelled to the Middle East to join the insurgency against British and American troops. Canon Andrew White, a close colleague of the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, said he spoke to the men from the West Midlands who were on their way to Baghdad to target US soldiers.
The MoD said that yesterday's announcement was part of a long-standing plan outlined in July when the Defence Secretary Des Browne said that troop numbers would be cut to 5,000 once Basra Palace was successfully handed over to Iraqi authorities. British troops are now based at Basra airport.
An MoD spokesman said: 'This morning, the Kings Royal Hussars Battle Group - approximately 250 men - were told that as part of these reductions, their tour is being cut short and they will return to the UK over the course of the next four weeks. The remaining reductions will be achieved in the coming months as part of ongoing manpower reviews. Achieving these reductions has long been our stated aim.'
The troop reduction announcement came as a key British figure in Iraq told how he chatted with 'furious' UK-born Muslims who had travelled to the Middle East to join the insurgency against British and American troops. Canon Andrew White, a close colleague of the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, said he spoke to the men from the West Midlands who were on their way to Baghdad to target US soldiers.
Labels: Basra, British troop withdrawal, King's Royal Hussars, Ministry of Defence
Friday, September 07, 2007
Basrah director of military intelligence survives assassination attempt
Security
(Voices of Iraq) - The director of military intelligence for the city of Basra escaped an attempt on his life on Thursday in the center of the city, while two of his bodyguards were killed, a senior Iraqi army source said. "An explosive charge went off targeting the motorcade of Colonel Jabar al-Saad, director of military intelligence in Basra, near the city hall at the center of the city," the source, who preferred not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI). "The colonel survived the attempt, while two of his bodyguards were killed in the explosion," he added. Basra is 590 km south of Baghdad.
Labels: assassination attempt, Basra, Colonel Jabar al-Saad, director of military intelligence
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Iraqi security official denies militia infiltration in Basra oil industry
Oil, Politics
(UPI) -- A top Iraqi security official disagrees with allegations Basra’s political leadership’s militia has infiltrated the Basra Oil Protection Force. Issa Jaffar Jabir, director general of the Ministry of National Security Affairs, said at an Iraq energy conference there is no proof militias have infiltrated the force at the behest of the government in Basra.
Jabir, at the Iraq Oil, Gas, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit organized by the London-based Iraq Development Program, told reporters the “accusations” were “not fair.” The Fadhila Party is currently in control of Basra, Iraq’s oil capital, where most of Iraq’s 115 billion barrels of oil reserves are and nearly all the 1.6 million barrels per day are exported.
Since winning government in provincial elections the governor, Mohammed Waili, has been accused of stacking key leadership roles with his party members, including the police and the Oil Protection Force, which guards the oil infrastructure.“It’s true that the governor of Basra belongs to this party, but we cannot accuse an Iraqi official randomly,” Jabir said. He admitted some political parties, not just Fadhila, have been able to “penetrate” ministries of interior and defense, the security apparatus and facilities guards. “We started strongly to purge forces regardless of their parties and names,” he said.
Labels: Basra, Basra Oil Protection Force, Fadhila Party, Gas, Iraq Oil, Issa Jaffar Jabir, Mohammed Waili, oil, Petrochemical and Electricity Summit
U.S. troops may be sent to Basra if British troops withdraw
Security
(The Times) - The US military has drawn up contingency plans to send American troops to Basra if Gordon Brown decides to pull out the entire British force, an American general revealed yesterday. Britain still had “several missions” in southern Iraq, which the US expected it to fulfil. But if the Prime Minister withdrew all 5,000 remaining British troops, the US might have to “send some forces down there”, said Lieutenant-General Raymond Odierno, the second-most-senior US commander in Iraq.
That is the last thing the Bush Administration would want to do at a time when it faces growing domestic pressure to bring home troops, and the US military is already overstretched. A British withdrawal would be regarded in Washington as little short of betrayal. General Odierno chose his words carefully when asked about Basra, Iraq’s anarchic second city. He said he was comfortable with the British withdrawal from Basra Palace this week, noting that the Iraqi security forces had become a “bit more effective” and reinforcements would arrive within 30 days.
But questioned about the implications for the US military if British troops were withdrawn entirely from southern Iraq, General Odierno pointedly listed Britain’s continuing responsibilities there - maintaining a headquarters in the region, training Iraqi security forces, supporting the coalition’s political work, securing supply routes to the rest of Iraq and providing quick reaction forces. “There are still several missions we need them to do down there and we have laid it out for them,” he said.
“We believe right now that the British forces will stay there in some size. That’s what we have been told so far.”
But he acknowledged that a general election was looming, and disclosed that the US had drawn up contingency plans in case Mr Brown decided to withdraw the entire force: “One could be that we do allow the Iraqis to do most of it and don’t send anyone else down there. One could be that we send some forces down there.”
Basra has been unusually calm since the British withdrew from the palace on Monday. A British army spokesman said the city was quiet. Police said there had been no killings or kidnappings. Iraqi security forces are on the streets in large numbers, and the Iraqi police and Army, who usually steer clear of each other, are manning joint checkpoints. Residents said that the only gunfire heard in the city yesterday came from Iraqi soldiers celebrating their takeover of the palace.
General Odierno was speaking just days before General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, gives Congress his verdict on President Bush’s controversial “surge” strategy, which has resulted in 30,000 extra troops deployed to Iraq this year, bringing the total to 160,000. The idea of expanding US operations further in Iraq would encounter fierce resistance in Washington at a time when Democrats, and some Republicans, are demanding a timetable for withdrawing US troops from a conflict that has cost 3,700 soldiers their lives and $10 billion (£5 billion) a week.
That is the last thing the Bush Administration would want to do at a time when it faces growing domestic pressure to bring home troops, and the US military is already overstretched. A British withdrawal would be regarded in Washington as little short of betrayal. General Odierno chose his words carefully when asked about Basra, Iraq’s anarchic second city. He said he was comfortable with the British withdrawal from Basra Palace this week, noting that the Iraqi security forces had become a “bit more effective” and reinforcements would arrive within 30 days.
But questioned about the implications for the US military if British troops were withdrawn entirely from southern Iraq, General Odierno pointedly listed Britain’s continuing responsibilities there - maintaining a headquarters in the region, training Iraqi security forces, supporting the coalition’s political work, securing supply routes to the rest of Iraq and providing quick reaction forces. “There are still several missions we need them to do down there and we have laid it out for them,” he said.
“We believe right now that the British forces will stay there in some size. That’s what we have been told so far.”
But he acknowledged that a general election was looming, and disclosed that the US had drawn up contingency plans in case Mr Brown decided to withdraw the entire force: “One could be that we do allow the Iraqis to do most of it and don’t send anyone else down there. One could be that we send some forces down there.”
Basra has been unusually calm since the British withdrew from the palace on Monday. A British army spokesman said the city was quiet. Police said there had been no killings or kidnappings. Iraqi security forces are on the streets in large numbers, and the Iraqi police and Army, who usually steer clear of each other, are manning joint checkpoints. Residents said that the only gunfire heard in the city yesterday came from Iraqi soldiers celebrating their takeover of the palace.
General Odierno was speaking just days before General David Petraeus, the top US commander in Iraq, gives Congress his verdict on President Bush’s controversial “surge” strategy, which has resulted in 30,000 extra troops deployed to Iraq this year, bringing the total to 160,000. The idea of expanding US operations further in Iraq would encounter fierce resistance in Washington at a time when Democrats, and some Republicans, are demanding a timetable for withdrawing US troops from a conflict that has cost 3,700 soldiers their lives and $10 billion (£5 billion) a week.
COMMENT: The major players in the power struggle in the south are the Mahdi Army militia loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq, the country's largest Shiite political party and the patron of the Badr militia. Security forces in the region are known to be dominated by supporters of the Supreme Council, led by Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, whose family has been locked in a long-running competition with al-Sadr's family over leadership of Iraq's Shiites. Al-Sadr's supporters are primarily poor Shiites who gain from the services offered by the group and obtain a sense of empowerment through membership of the Mahdi Army. In contrast, the Supreme Council is perceived as a magnet of middle- and upper-class Shiites and enjoying the endorsement of the wealthy and traditional clerical leadership. Additionally there is the Shiite Fadhela Party, an Iranian presence and tribal rivalries. Not to mention the vast amounts of money made through theft and smuggling of oil and corrupt dealings. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Basra, Britain, Lieutenant General Raymond Odierno, U.S. troops
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Sectarian Militias Attack Basrah Grand Mosque And Sunni Endowment
Security
(Dar Al Salam Newspaper) - 4 SEP - Sectarian militias have attacked the Grand Basrah Mosque. Eyewitnesses said that the militias opened fire on the mosque and a civilian was wounded. The militias have also attacked the Sunni Endowment office in Basrah, injuring one of the guards. Eyewitnesses reported that the militias were using a vehicle and a motorbike. One of the attackers was arrested and his motor bike was confiscated. It is worthy to mention that Basrah’s mosques are often attacked by militias.
Labels: Basra, Grand Basrah Mosque, militias, Sunni Endowment office
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Sayid Al Sistani’s Representative Assassinated In Basrah
Security
(Addustour Newspaper) - 3 SEP - Two gunmen have assassinated Al Sayid Muslim Al Battat, the Imam of the Al Orwat Al Wouthqa (Shiite) Mosque (located) in Basrah (city). Meanwhile, the (Basrah) office of the Mihrab Martyr Institute was fired upon by unidentified gunmen; one (of the Institute’s) guard was wounded.
On Friday night, two gunmen, riding on a motorcycle, killed Al Sayid Muslim Al Battat, the Imam of the Al Orwat Al Wouthqa (Shiite) Mosque… (Imam Al Batat was) also was a representative for Sayid Al Sistani in Basrah Province. (His assassination occurred) in the Al Farsi area (of Basrah), while he (the Imam) was leaving his Mosque and returning home...his brother and cousin were with him (at the time of this attack)
All of the preceding statements are based on reports from an anonymous source in the (Basrah) Province Police Commander’s office. Meanwhile, according to eyewitnesses (elsewhere in Basrah): the (Basrah) office of the Mihrab Martyr Institute was fired upon by unidentified gunmen…in a car. One (of the Institute’s) guard was wounded; he was transported to the hospital.
Basrah City witnessed a security alert on Wednesday, due to recent events in Karbala. On the other hand a Basrah Police source stated: a police officer (an IP Captain) was released by the unidentified gunmen who had kidnapped him a week ago, south of Basrah city. The source explained, “One week after Captain Firas Saddoun Jassim was kidnapped…his kidnappers released him.” The source added, “This officer (CPT Jasim) is a Captain in a ‘special missions unit’ in Basrah. He was abducted by unidentified gunmen… a week ago, near his home in (Basrah’s) Asdiqaa neighborhood.” This source did not clarify: who had abducted this officer, or how he was released.
On Friday night, two gunmen, riding on a motorcycle, killed Al Sayid Muslim Al Battat, the Imam of the Al Orwat Al Wouthqa (Shiite) Mosque… (Imam Al Batat was) also was a representative for Sayid Al Sistani in Basrah Province. (His assassination occurred) in the Al Farsi area (of Basrah), while he (the Imam) was leaving his Mosque and returning home...his brother and cousin were with him (at the time of this attack)
All of the preceding statements are based on reports from an anonymous source in the (Basrah) Province Police Commander’s office. Meanwhile, according to eyewitnesses (elsewhere in Basrah): the (Basrah) office of the Mihrab Martyr Institute was fired upon by unidentified gunmen…in a car. One (of the Institute’s) guard was wounded; he was transported to the hospital.
Basrah City witnessed a security alert on Wednesday, due to recent events in Karbala. On the other hand a Basrah Police source stated: a police officer (an IP Captain) was released by the unidentified gunmen who had kidnapped him a week ago, south of Basrah city. The source explained, “One week after Captain Firas Saddoun Jassim was kidnapped…his kidnappers released him.” The source added, “This officer (CPT Jasim) is a Captain in a ‘special missions unit’ in Basrah. He was abducted by unidentified gunmen… a week ago, near his home in (Basrah’s) Asdiqaa neighborhood.” This source did not clarify: who had abducted this officer, or how he was released.
Labels: Al Sayid Muslim Al Battat, assassination, Basra, Sistani
Monday, September 03, 2007
Iraq seeks investors for $1 bn. upgrade on petrochemical plant
Oil
(Zawya Dow Jones) -- Iraq is seeking investors for a possible $1 billion upgrade of a petrochemical plant in Basra and may build a new $2 billion facility in the country's northern or central regions, an industry and minerals ministry official said Sunday. The Basra plans involve a $120 million upgrade of the existing 500,000-ton-a-year olefins complex, which may be developed further by investing $1 billion into the upgrade, Iraq's industry and minerals minister Fawzi Al Hariri said at a conference in Dubai.
"We are in discussions with international players," Al Hariri said. Talks have been held with Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Chevron Corp and the Dow Chemical Company, Al Hariri said, adding that regional companies including Saudi Basic Industries Corp. are also interested. The ministry hopes to conclude negotiations as early as the end of the year.
"We are also considering a second facility, completely new, in a different part of the country. Maybe in the north or central region," Al Hariri said. That project would be worth at least $2 billion and produce about 1 million tons a year of ethylene, a natural gas derivative, and olefins, the minister said. Gas feedstock for the complex would be sourced from existing gas resources, possibly by capturing associated gas that is currently being flared.
Iraq, which holds the world's third largest oil reserves, loses about $400 million each year from flaring associated gas and hopes to tap those resources for industrial use, including for petrochemicals, Al Hariri said. The new plant may be located in one of the three Kurdistan Regional Government provinces or in the Anbar province, Al Hariri said.
However, the ultimate decision on the plant's location may depend on the security situation on the ground. Al Hariri said security-related expenditure may add between 10 and 40% to the cost of a project. "We hope to start initial discussions by year-end" with interested parties, Al Hariri said. Both projects would be offered on a 50:50 joint venture basis. "Timing is of the essence because similar facilities are planned in other regional countries," he added.
"We are in discussions with international players," Al Hariri said. Talks have been held with Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Chevron Corp and the Dow Chemical Company, Al Hariri said, adding that regional companies including Saudi Basic Industries Corp. are also interested. The ministry hopes to conclude negotiations as early as the end of the year.
"We are also considering a second facility, completely new, in a different part of the country. Maybe in the north or central region," Al Hariri said. That project would be worth at least $2 billion and produce about 1 million tons a year of ethylene, a natural gas derivative, and olefins, the minister said. Gas feedstock for the complex would be sourced from existing gas resources, possibly by capturing associated gas that is currently being flared.
Iraq, which holds the world's third largest oil reserves, loses about $400 million each year from flaring associated gas and hopes to tap those resources for industrial use, including for petrochemicals, Al Hariri said. The new plant may be located in one of the three Kurdistan Regional Government provinces or in the Anbar province, Al Hariri said.
However, the ultimate decision on the plant's location may depend on the security situation on the ground. Al Hariri said security-related expenditure may add between 10 and 40% to the cost of a project. "We hope to start initial discussions by year-end" with interested parties, Al Hariri said. Both projects would be offered on a 50:50 joint venture basis. "Timing is of the essence because similar facilities are planned in other regional countries," he added.
Labels: Basra, Chevron Corp, Dow Chemical Company, Dubai, Fawzi Al Hariri, petrochemical plant, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Saudi Basic Industries Corp.
British troops withdraw from Basra
Security
(AP) - Iraqi soldiers hoisted the nation's flag over the Basra palace compound Monday after British troops withdrew from their last garrison in the city, a move that will hand control to an Iraqi force riddled with Shiite militiamen. A British statement said the operation began at 10 p.m. Sunday "with all British troops arriving at the airport by midday" Monday.
"There were no clashes or attacks on British forces during the operation. The formal handing-over of the Palaces will happen in the near future," British spokesman Maj. Matthew Bird said. The departure of most of the remaining 500-member British force from the palace left the nation's second largest city without any multinational presence for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.
"We told those (militias) who were fighting the British troops that the Iraqi forces are now in the palaces," Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, the Iraqi commander in the area. He said the last of the British force left about 4:30 a.m.
British vehicles rumbled out of the gates of the sprawling compound after dark Sunday headed for the Basra international airport, about 12 miles away. It is Britain's last remaining base in southern Iraq.
U.S. officials have raised concerns about the prospect of British troops leaving the city, which has seen rival armed militia groups, some linked to Iran, battling for control. The city controls a key land supply line from Kuwait to Baghdad and farther north, and is also near important oil fields. In London, Prime Minister Gordon Brown disputed claims that the redeployment marks a British "defeat" and said the move to the airport had been planned and organized.
The Basra palace had come under near daily rocket and mortar fire from Shiite militias until the British released about 30 gunmen a few months ago and spread the word that they would soon leave. Over the past years, Britain's ability to control events in Basra waned as the militias rose in power. People on the streets of Basra cheered the departure of the British.
Following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's rule, Britain controlled security across southern Iraq, but has since handed over most of the territory to Iraqi forces. Britain's Ministry of Defense said it hoped to hand security responsibility for Basra, the last remaining province, over to Iraqi forces sometime this autumn.
Brown has consistently refused to set a timetable for the overall withdrawal of British troops from the country, but the long anticipated pullout from the downtown palace will give the British government the option to pull out more than 500 soldiers immediately.
Ex-leader Tony Blair's decision to cut troops numbers in Iraq from 7,000 to 5,500 in February included an option of pulling out the soldiers based in the Basra palace once it was handed back to the Iraqis. Britain's Defense Ministry said in a statement that U.S. officials had been consulted over the plan, and offered assurances that there was still a large enough British presence in the area to provide security. "The decision is an Iraqi-led initiative and is part of a coalition-endorsed process," the ministry said.
British forces will operate from Basra Air Station, but "retain security responsibility for Basra until we hand over to provincial Iraqi control, which we anticipate in the autumn," the statement said.
"There were no clashes or attacks on British forces during the operation. The formal handing-over of the Palaces will happen in the near future," British spokesman Maj. Matthew Bird said. The departure of most of the remaining 500-member British force from the palace left the nation's second largest city without any multinational presence for the first time since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.
"We told those (militias) who were fighting the British troops that the Iraqi forces are now in the palaces," Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, the Iraqi commander in the area. He said the last of the British force left about 4:30 a.m.
British vehicles rumbled out of the gates of the sprawling compound after dark Sunday headed for the Basra international airport, about 12 miles away. It is Britain's last remaining base in southern Iraq.
U.S. officials have raised concerns about the prospect of British troops leaving the city, which has seen rival armed militia groups, some linked to Iran, battling for control. The city controls a key land supply line from Kuwait to Baghdad and farther north, and is also near important oil fields. In London, Prime Minister Gordon Brown disputed claims that the redeployment marks a British "defeat" and said the move to the airport had been planned and organized.
The Basra palace had come under near daily rocket and mortar fire from Shiite militias until the British released about 30 gunmen a few months ago and spread the word that they would soon leave. Over the past years, Britain's ability to control events in Basra waned as the militias rose in power. People on the streets of Basra cheered the departure of the British.
Following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's rule, Britain controlled security across southern Iraq, but has since handed over most of the territory to Iraqi forces. Britain's Ministry of Defense said it hoped to hand security responsibility for Basra, the last remaining province, over to Iraqi forces sometime this autumn.
Brown has consistently refused to set a timetable for the overall withdrawal of British troops from the country, but the long anticipated pullout from the downtown palace will give the British government the option to pull out more than 500 soldiers immediately.
Ex-leader Tony Blair's decision to cut troops numbers in Iraq from 7,000 to 5,500 in February included an option of pulling out the soldiers based in the Basra palace once it was handed back to the Iraqis. Britain's Defense Ministry said in a statement that U.S. officials had been consulted over the plan, and offered assurances that there was still a large enough British presence in the area to provide security. "The decision is an Iraqi-led initiative and is part of a coalition-endorsed process," the ministry said.
British forces will operate from Basra Air Station, but "retain security responsibility for Basra until we hand over to provincial Iraqi control, which we anticipate in the autumn," the statement said.
Labels: Basra, Basra Air Station, British troop withdrawal, Gordon Brown, Iran, Lt. Gen. Mohan al-Fireji, Maj. Matthew Bird, militias
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
As the British leave Basra the militias take over
Security
(Christian Science Monitor) - The last contingent of British soldiers based in the center of Basra will leave by Friday, says a senior Iraqi security official, adding that a deal has been struck with leaders of Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army to ensure their safe departure. As they pull back to a base outside Basra, the British will leave a vital provincial capital in the throes of a turf battle between Shiite factions – one that Mr. Sadr's militia appears to be winning.
"By the end of August, there will be no presence for British forces at the palace or at the joint coordination center. Both will be in the hands of the Iraqi government," says the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. "I think it's best if they leave, because they did nothing to stop the militias, which were formed in the womb of their occupation."
"By the end of August, there will be no presence for British forces at the palace or at the joint coordination center. Both will be in the hands of the Iraqi government," says the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter. "I think it's best if they leave, because they did nothing to stop the militias, which were formed in the womb of their occupation."
Ahead of the pullout, an agreement between British and Iraqi authorities resulted in the transfer of more than two dozen Mahdi Army prisoners from British to Iraqi custody, according to the security official. They were then released by an Iraqi court in an attempt to pacify the militias during the highly symbolic handover of the palaces to Iraqis, he said. The British did not comment on any arrangements.
The departing force will join 5,000 soldiers at the Shaibah air base, about 10 miles southwest of the city, also home to the US and British consulates. Unlike their US counterparts elsewhere in Iraq, British forces have been gradually trimming their presence in the south since May 2003, when they numbered 18,000.
The Iraqi official says the palaces will be handed over to an Iraqi force dispatched from Baghdad and will not be given to the controversial provincial authority, which is embroiled in a power struggle between rival Shiite political parties. This 3,000-strong Iraqi force will consist of two Army battalions and elements from the Ministry of Interior's commando unit.
The Mahdi Army, which according to one estimate, numbers about 17,000 in Basra and is divided into about 40 sariyas (company-size military unit), is the strongest among its rivals in the militia-infiltrated police force and it has influence over vital sectors such as health, education, power distribution, and ports.
The departing force will join 5,000 soldiers at the Shaibah air base, about 10 miles southwest of the city, also home to the US and British consulates. Unlike their US counterparts elsewhere in Iraq, British forces have been gradually trimming their presence in the south since May 2003, when they numbered 18,000.
The Iraqi official says the palaces will be handed over to an Iraqi force dispatched from Baghdad and will not be given to the controversial provincial authority, which is embroiled in a power struggle between rival Shiite political parties. This 3,000-strong Iraqi force will consist of two Army battalions and elements from the Ministry of Interior's commando unit.
The Mahdi Army, which according to one estimate, numbers about 17,000 in Basra and is divided into about 40 sariyas (company-size military unit), is the strongest among its rivals in the militia-infiltrated police force and it has influence over vital sectors such as health, education, power distribution, and ports.
Although Basra, an economically important port city in a province with some of the largest oil deposits in the world, is considerably calmer and less violent than Baghdad, it faces a low-intensity, yet vicious, battle between the Mahdi Army and its many competitors that has spread fear and apprehension among many of the city's estimated 1.8 million residents. One local official says about 5,000 assassinations have occurred inside the city in the past two years.
The Iraqi official said releasing Mahdi Army fighters – combined with the absence of an excuse for militias to launch attacks on the palace – would give Lt. Gen. Mohan Hafidh, head of the Basra Operations Center appointed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, enough breathing room to stabilize the province. But the PJCC left by the British Saturday was the scene of a four-hour looting spree Sunday, according to security officials.
"We will lessen the attacks against them [the British] and we will stop altogether if they release all our prisoners," said one of the Mahdi Army leaders at the Friday meeting. A colleague, who appeared more senior, disagreed: "The resistance will continue until the last soldier leaves Basra." Indeed, overall attacks against British forces have increased despite the gradual decline in troop numbers. This year, 41 soldiers have died, compared with 29 in all of 2006.
Although members of the Mahdi Army pledge allegiance to Sadr, many operate according to conflicting agendas and some are linked to Iran, according to security officials. Last week, efforts by police chief Maj. Gen. Jalil Khalaf to hem in the notoriously corrupt and militia-controlled intelligence and criminal investigation units of the police force were met with protests and threats. There have already been two attempts on his life since Mr. Maliki appointed him three months ago.
A candidate for the same post at the time said the Mahdi Army is the most formidable force in the province. He said that he was visited by five militia leaders who told him: "We will support you but people should know you are with us."
On the streets, there is a sense of jubilation and victory over British forces. In central Arousa Square, a street was renamed after the "martyr Jaafar Muhammad," killed in clashes with the British. "He's one of my guys. One of the valiant heroes of the Imam Mahdi Army," says a bearded company commander who gave his name as Uncle Abed. "God has blessed us with victory over the occupation."
"We will lessen the attacks against them [the British] and we will stop altogether if they release all our prisoners," said one of the Mahdi Army leaders at the Friday meeting. A colleague, who appeared more senior, disagreed: "The resistance will continue until the last soldier leaves Basra." Indeed, overall attacks against British forces have increased despite the gradual decline in troop numbers. This year, 41 soldiers have died, compared with 29 in all of 2006.
Although members of the Mahdi Army pledge allegiance to Sadr, many operate according to conflicting agendas and some are linked to Iran, according to security officials. Last week, efforts by police chief Maj. Gen. Jalil Khalaf to hem in the notoriously corrupt and militia-controlled intelligence and criminal investigation units of the police force were met with protests and threats. There have already been two attempts on his life since Mr. Maliki appointed him three months ago.
A candidate for the same post at the time said the Mahdi Army is the most formidable force in the province. He said that he was visited by five militia leaders who told him: "We will support you but people should know you are with us."
On the streets, there is a sense of jubilation and victory over British forces. In central Arousa Square, a street was renamed after the "martyr Jaafar Muhammad," killed in clashes with the British. "He's one of my guys. One of the valiant heroes of the Imam Mahdi Army," says a bearded company commander who gave his name as Uncle Abed. "God has blessed us with victory over the occupation."
Labels: Basra, British troop withdrawal, Lt. Gen. Mohan Hafidh, Mahdi Army, Shaibah air base
A move towards national reconciliation
Politics
(The Guardian) - Nuri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, and fellow leaders in the country have reached consensus on key areas of national reconciliation, under mounting US pressure to demonstrate political progress on the eve of a key report to Congress on the Baghdad security "surge". The Shia prime minister appeared on television flanked by Jalal Talabani, the country's Kurdish president, and the Sunni vice-president, Tareq al-Hashemi, to announce a deal on easing restrictions on former members of the Ba'ath party joining the civil service and military.
Easing de-Ba'athification laws passed after the 2003 US invasion has long been seen as a vital step if disenchanted Sunnis, who formed the backbone of Saddam Hussein's regime and, since its fall, of the insurgency, are to be persuaded to take part in Iraqi political life. Agreement was also reported on holding provincial elections and releasing detainees held without charge across the country, two more of the "benchmarks" set by the Bush administration for political movement it hopes will stave off mounting congressional demands for a withdrawal from Iraq.
It was not immediately clear how, or when, these moves would be implemented and how far they would go to reversing the almost total Sunni boycott of the cabinet - the centre of Mr Maliki's difficulties. The beleaguered prime minister, facing mounting criticism from within the Bush administration, announced earlier that Mr Hashemi's Iraqi Islamic party was about to join with the four Shia and Kurdish parties which recently forged an alliance.
Mr Maliki said a committee formed by the parties had reviewed the current political stalemate and "accomplished some solutions". Last week a US national intelligence report cast doubt on Mr Maliki's ability to heal the country's sectarian divide and predicted "the Iraqi government will become more precarious over the next six to 12 months".
There were further signs of Mr Maliki's weakening grip on power when the former temporary prime minister, Ayad Allawi, removed his faction from the "unity" government on Saturday and put himself forward as an alternative. The growing pressure on the Iraqi leader comes at a sensitive moment in relations between Washington and Baghdad. The American commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, will soon present Congress with his analysis of the success or otherwise of the so-called "surge".
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence said last night that British forces have withdrawn from a base in Basra that they had shared with Iraqi police in the first phase of a plan to move all troops out of the city centre. A small number of troops had been stationed at the provincial joint coordination centre where they had been helping to train Iraqi police. Control of the facility has now been handed over to the Iraqi army.
Easing de-Ba'athification laws passed after the 2003 US invasion has long been seen as a vital step if disenchanted Sunnis, who formed the backbone of Saddam Hussein's regime and, since its fall, of the insurgency, are to be persuaded to take part in Iraqi political life. Agreement was also reported on holding provincial elections and releasing detainees held without charge across the country, two more of the "benchmarks" set by the Bush administration for political movement it hopes will stave off mounting congressional demands for a withdrawal from Iraq.
It was not immediately clear how, or when, these moves would be implemented and how far they would go to reversing the almost total Sunni boycott of the cabinet - the centre of Mr Maliki's difficulties. The beleaguered prime minister, facing mounting criticism from within the Bush administration, announced earlier that Mr Hashemi's Iraqi Islamic party was about to join with the four Shia and Kurdish parties which recently forged an alliance.
Mr Maliki said a committee formed by the parties had reviewed the current political stalemate and "accomplished some solutions". Last week a US national intelligence report cast doubt on Mr Maliki's ability to heal the country's sectarian divide and predicted "the Iraqi government will become more precarious over the next six to 12 months".
There were further signs of Mr Maliki's weakening grip on power when the former temporary prime minister, Ayad Allawi, removed his faction from the "unity" government on Saturday and put himself forward as an alternative. The growing pressure on the Iraqi leader comes at a sensitive moment in relations between Washington and Baghdad. The American commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, will soon present Congress with his analysis of the success or otherwise of the so-called "surge".
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence said last night that British forces have withdrawn from a base in Basra that they had shared with Iraqi police in the first phase of a plan to move all troops out of the city centre. A small number of troops had been stationed at the provincial joint coordination centre where they had been helping to train Iraqi police. Control of the facility has now been handed over to the Iraqi army.
Labels: Basra, British forces, debaathification, detainees, Jalal Talabani, national reconciliation, Nouri Al-Maliki, provincial elections, Tariq Al Hashemi
Friday, August 24, 2007
Basra to receive $30 mn. from U.S.
Reconstruction
(Azzaman) - The southern city of Basra has received $30 million from U.S. Congress to upgrade its public utilities, a senior official of Basra Reconstruction and Development council said. Tuama al-Nouri, the council’s deputy head, said the grant will be wholly dedicated to service projects a list of which is being prepared.
He did not specify the kind of projects the grant will be used to implement but a previous offer of $34 million was utilized to execute “six schemes”. The U.S. has poured billions of dollars into Iraqi reconstruction but the impact has been negligible due to rampant corruption and the contracting process in which up to a dozen contractors pass the project to one another with each skimming a sizeable portion.
The contracts normally land in the hands of local entrepreneurs who use their connections to centers of power in their areas to make even further financial gains from the meager allocations left for the project.
Meantime, the Danish Foreign Ministry has agreed to finance the reconstruction of a 44-km highway linking Umm Qasr port with Basra. The current road, built in 2002, has been damage by heavy trucks transporting goods from the port to the city.
He did not specify the kind of projects the grant will be used to implement but a previous offer of $34 million was utilized to execute “six schemes”. The U.S. has poured billions of dollars into Iraqi reconstruction but the impact has been negligible due to rampant corruption and the contracting process in which up to a dozen contractors pass the project to one another with each skimming a sizeable portion.
The contracts normally land in the hands of local entrepreneurs who use their connections to centers of power in their areas to make even further financial gains from the meager allocations left for the project.
Meantime, the Danish Foreign Ministry has agreed to finance the reconstruction of a 44-km highway linking Umm Qasr port with Basra. The current road, built in 2002, has been damage by heavy trucks transporting goods from the port to the city.
Labels: Basra, reconstruction, Umm Qasr
