Sunday, November 11, 2007
Islamic Army of Iraq attacks Al-Qaeda base
Security, Insurgency, Tribal
(BBC) - A Sunni faction has killed 18 al-Qaeda militants in an attack on a compound near the Iraqi city of Samarra, police have said. Another 16 al-Qaeda members were said to have been captured in the attack. The Sunni Islamic Army of Iraq - once part of the insurgency against US-led forces - said its fighters attacked the compound east of the city.
The faction is one of several Sunni former insurgent groups that have now turned against al-Qaeda. On Friday, five Sunni Arab tribal leaders had been killed in a suicide attack in Diyala province, north-east of Baghdad. The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says the Islamic Army of Iraq is apparently planning to use those captured in an exchange of prisoners.
A total of 15 fighters from the Islamic Army were also killed in the attack, police sources told Reuters news agency. Analysts say that while the Islamic Army shares with the US military a common enemy in al-Qaeda, it does not support the coalition forces or their continued presence in Iraq. No US or Iraqi security forces are thought to have been involved in the fighting.
Our correspondent says many of the Sunni tribes that used to provide safe havens for the militants are actively combating al-Qaeda. Much of the violence in the troubled areas north of Baghdad reflect that struggle within the Sunni community, he says. On Friday, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives belt in the house of Sunni anti-al-Qaeda tribal leader Sheikh Faez al-Obeidi, killing him and four of his relatives. Those killed were members of the Diyala Salvation Council.
Sheikh Abu Risha, a key US ally in Anbar, was killed in September. Ten others were wounded in the blast, which happened near the town of Khalis. Diyala province, home to a mixture of Sunnis and Shias, has become a key battleground in the struggle to drive al-Qaeda from Iraq. The battle has spread there from Anbar province, once a stronghold of the Sunni insurgency. Many in the Sunni community say they dislike the austere form of Islam that al-Qaeda practises.
The faction is one of several Sunni former insurgent groups that have now turned against al-Qaeda. On Friday, five Sunni Arab tribal leaders had been killed in a suicide attack in Diyala province, north-east of Baghdad. The BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad says the Islamic Army of Iraq is apparently planning to use those captured in an exchange of prisoners.
A total of 15 fighters from the Islamic Army were also killed in the attack, police sources told Reuters news agency. Analysts say that while the Islamic Army shares with the US military a common enemy in al-Qaeda, it does not support the coalition forces or their continued presence in Iraq. No US or Iraqi security forces are thought to have been involved in the fighting.
Our correspondent says many of the Sunni tribes that used to provide safe havens for the militants are actively combating al-Qaeda. Much of the violence in the troubled areas north of Baghdad reflect that struggle within the Sunni community, he says. On Friday, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives belt in the house of Sunni anti-al-Qaeda tribal leader Sheikh Faez al-Obeidi, killing him and four of his relatives. Those killed were members of the Diyala Salvation Council.
Sheikh Abu Risha, a key US ally in Anbar, was killed in September. Ten others were wounded in the blast, which happened near the town of Khalis. Diyala province, home to a mixture of Sunnis and Shias, has become a key battleground in the struggle to drive al-Qaeda from Iraq. The battle has spread there from Anbar province, once a stronghold of the Sunni insurgency. Many in the Sunni community say they dislike the austere form of Islam that al-Qaeda practises.
Labels: Al-Qaeda, Diyala Salvation Council, Islamic Army of Iraq, Samarra, Sheikh Faez al-Obeidi, tribal leaders
Friday, October 05, 2007
Leader of Sunni Arab tribal council killed
Security, Tribal
(BBC) - A leader of a Sunni Arab tribal council which opposed al-Qaeda in Iraq has been killed in a roadside bomb attack north of Baghdad, Iraqi officials have said. Sheikh Muawiya Jebara, a senior member of the Salahuddin Awakening Council, and three of his bodyguards were killed as his convoy travelled near Samarra.
His death comes less than a month after the killing of the head of a similar group in neighbouring Anbar province.
Meanwhile, the Shia mayor of Iskandariya died in a separate bombing. Abbas al-Khafaji, a member of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), and four of his bodyguards were killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their car at a checkpoint, police said. A mixed Sunni-Shia town 40km (25 miles) south of the capital, Iskandariya lies in a centre of the Sunni insurgency known as the "triangle of death".
The attack on Sheikh Muawiya Jebara occurred in mid-afternoon as he travelled to an area south-west of Samarra to support other members of the Salahuddin Awakening Council who were currently fighting al-Qaeda in Iraq. The sheikh survived the initial blast, but died from head injuries shortly after arriving in hospital, his brother said.
The head of the Tikrit-based Salahuddin Awakening Council, Sheikh Sabah Mutashar al-Shammari, recently said the tribal alliance had conducted more than 100 operations against Sunni extremist militants. "Our forces are working in co-ordination with the ministers of defence and interior," he told the AFP news agency.
"Our troops consist of 3,000 fighters distributed across seven headquarters in the province."
Last month, the leader of the Anbar Awakening, Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, was killed in a bomb attack near his home in Ramadi. US officials have pointed to the formation of the tribal alliances as one of the most positive developments in their efforts to reduce violence in Iraq.
His death comes less than a month after the killing of the head of a similar group in neighbouring Anbar province.
Meanwhile, the Shia mayor of Iskandariya died in a separate bombing. Abbas al-Khafaji, a member of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), and four of his bodyguards were killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their car at a checkpoint, police said. A mixed Sunni-Shia town 40km (25 miles) south of the capital, Iskandariya lies in a centre of the Sunni insurgency known as the "triangle of death".
The attack on Sheikh Muawiya Jebara occurred in mid-afternoon as he travelled to an area south-west of Samarra to support other members of the Salahuddin Awakening Council who were currently fighting al-Qaeda in Iraq. The sheikh survived the initial blast, but died from head injuries shortly after arriving in hospital, his brother said.
The head of the Tikrit-based Salahuddin Awakening Council, Sheikh Sabah Mutashar al-Shammari, recently said the tribal alliance had conducted more than 100 operations against Sunni extremist militants. "Our forces are working in co-ordination with the ministers of defence and interior," he told the AFP news agency.
"Our troops consist of 3,000 fighters distributed across seven headquarters in the province."
Last month, the leader of the Anbar Awakening, Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, was killed in a bomb attack near his home in Ramadi. US officials have pointed to the formation of the tribal alliances as one of the most positive developments in their efforts to reduce violence in Iraq.
Labels: Al Qaeda, Salahuddin Awakening Council, Samarra, Sheikh Muawiya Jebara, Sheikh Sabah Mutashar al-Shammari
Friday, September 07, 2007
Former protector of al-Askari shrine arrested
Security
(Voices of Iraq) - Security forces in Mosul arrested the former official responsible for protecting al-Askari shrine in the city of Samara, the official spokesman for the interior ministry said on Thursday. "Aws Tareq Farid, who is suspected of colluding with the gunmen who blew up the mosque on February 2006, was arrested in the city of Mosul at 12:00 pm on Wednesday," General Abdul Karim Khalaf told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) by phone.
"Intelligence reports asserted that the suspect had returned from Syria, where he fled to, and security forces arrested him in Mosul," he also said. "The arrest warrant was issued last year and the judicial order to arrest him was implemented only yesterday," the general said, noting that he was sent to Baghdad for investigation.
The Al-Askari Mosque bombing occurred in the Iraqi city of Samara on February 22, 2006, at about 6:55 a.m. local time. The attack on the mosque, one of the holiest sites for Shiite Muslims, is believed to have been caused by al-Qaeda in Iraq. Although no injuries occurred in the blasts, the mosque was severely damaged.
"Intelligence reports asserted that the suspect had returned from Syria, where he fled to, and security forces arrested him in Mosul," he also said. "The arrest warrant was issued last year and the judicial order to arrest him was implemented only yesterday," the general said, noting that he was sent to Baghdad for investigation.
The Al-Askari Mosque bombing occurred in the Iraqi city of Samara on February 22, 2006, at about 6:55 a.m. local time. The attack on the mosque, one of the holiest sites for Shiite Muslims, is believed to have been caused by al-Qaeda in Iraq. Although no injuries occurred in the blasts, the mosque was severely damaged.
Labels: al-Askari shrine, Aws Tareq Farid, General Abdul Karim Khalaf, Mosul, Samarra
Friday, August 24, 2007
60 AQI fighters carry out coordinated attacks against police in Samarra
Security
Sixty suspected al-Qaida in Iraq fighters hit national police facilities in a coordinated attack in Samarra, sparking two hours of fighting that saw three people killed and more than a dozen insurgents captured, police said Friday. The masked attackers drove into the city at dusk Thursday in about 20 vehicles, including pickups with machine-guns, then split into small groups and assaulted four police checkpoints and a headquarters building, a Samarra police official said.
One policeman and two civilians - a woman and an 11-year-old girl - were killed in the fighting in the city 60 miles north of Baghdad, and nine others were injured including a police commando and three children. There were no details on insurgent casualties, but police arrested 14 suspects, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.
The brazen attack came after early morning assaults by suspected al-Qaida fighters on two villages to the southeast of Samarra near Baqouba, where fighters bombed the house of a local Sunni sheik and kidnapped a group of mostly women. Residents were finally able to drive off the attackers and end the deadly rampage, but not before 17 villagers, including seven women, were killed. Ten al-Qaida gunmen also died.
The twin attacks near the Diyala provincial capital of Baquoba - a city 35 miles northeast of Baghdad that has been the focus of recent major U.S.-Iraqi military operations against alleged al-Qaida fighters and Shiite militiamen - hit a Shiite village and a Sunni village with the same ferocity but apparently different motives.
The attack on the Sunni village, Ibrahim al-Yahya, began when about 25 gunmen exploded a bomb at the house of Sheik Younis al-Shimari, destroying his home and killing him and one member of his family. Ten people were wounded, including four other members of the family and passers-by. Some of the wounded were hit by gunfire.
"They were shouting 'Allah Akbar and a curse be upon the renegades,'" said Umm Ahmed, a woman who was wounded in the attack. She refused to give her full name fearing retribution. "This attack will cause the uprising against them to spread to other villages." Seven people were kidnapped. Two of the abducted men were later found shot in the head on a road leading out of town. The rest of the captives were women, and their fate was unknown.
Al-Shimari and his village apparently came under attack after he called on the men there to rise up against al-Qaida. While the Sunni village was under attack, another band of alleged al-Qaida fighters stormed Timim, the nearby Shiite village and an obvious sectarian target, according to Baqouba police Brig. Ali Dlaiyan, who reported both assaults and gave the casualty tolls. He said the villagers were able to fight off the attack in a 30-minute gunbattle.
It was unclear how many of the 17 residents who died were in each village. A police vehicle rushing to the attack scene crashed and two policemen were killed, according to officials in the Diyala provincial police force who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
The Sunni uprising against al-Qaida began spontaneously early this year in Anbar province, once a bastion of the Sunni insurgency in the west of Iraq, and has spread to Diyala province and some Baghdad neighborhoods. The U.S. military has encouraged disaffected Sunnis, many of them former insurgents, and has begun working side by side with the Sunni auxiliary units. Many of the Sunni militants disagree with Al Qaeda's brand of Islam and their mass casualty attacks on civilians.
One policeman and two civilians - a woman and an 11-year-old girl - were killed in the fighting in the city 60 miles north of Baghdad, and nine others were injured including a police commando and three children. There were no details on insurgent casualties, but police arrested 14 suspects, the spokesman said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.
The brazen attack came after early morning assaults by suspected al-Qaida fighters on two villages to the southeast of Samarra near Baqouba, where fighters bombed the house of a local Sunni sheik and kidnapped a group of mostly women. Residents were finally able to drive off the attackers and end the deadly rampage, but not before 17 villagers, including seven women, were killed. Ten al-Qaida gunmen also died.
The twin attacks near the Diyala provincial capital of Baquoba - a city 35 miles northeast of Baghdad that has been the focus of recent major U.S.-Iraqi military operations against alleged al-Qaida fighters and Shiite militiamen - hit a Shiite village and a Sunni village with the same ferocity but apparently different motives.
The attack on the Sunni village, Ibrahim al-Yahya, began when about 25 gunmen exploded a bomb at the house of Sheik Younis al-Shimari, destroying his home and killing him and one member of his family. Ten people were wounded, including four other members of the family and passers-by. Some of the wounded were hit by gunfire.
"They were shouting 'Allah Akbar and a curse be upon the renegades,'" said Umm Ahmed, a woman who was wounded in the attack. She refused to give her full name fearing retribution. "This attack will cause the uprising against them to spread to other villages." Seven people were kidnapped. Two of the abducted men were later found shot in the head on a road leading out of town. The rest of the captives were women, and their fate was unknown.
Al-Shimari and his village apparently came under attack after he called on the men there to rise up against al-Qaida. While the Sunni village was under attack, another band of alleged al-Qaida fighters stormed Timim, the nearby Shiite village and an obvious sectarian target, according to Baqouba police Brig. Ali Dlaiyan, who reported both assaults and gave the casualty tolls. He said the villagers were able to fight off the attack in a 30-minute gunbattle.
It was unclear how many of the 17 residents who died were in each village. A police vehicle rushing to the attack scene crashed and two policemen were killed, according to officials in the Diyala provincial police force who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information.
The Sunni uprising against al-Qaida began spontaneously early this year in Anbar province, once a bastion of the Sunni insurgency in the west of Iraq, and has spread to Diyala province and some Baghdad neighborhoods. The U.S. military has encouraged disaffected Sunnis, many of them former insurgents, and has begun working side by side with the Sunni auxiliary units. Many of the Sunni militants disagree with Al Qaeda's brand of Islam and their mass casualty attacks on civilians.
Labels: Al Qaeda in Iraq, Brig. Ali Dlaiyan, Diyala, Ibrahim al-Yahya, Samarra, Sheik Younis al-Shimari, Timim
Monday, August 06, 2007
Samarra mosque attack mastermind killed
Security
(McCltachy newspapers) - U.S. military officials said Sunday that coalition forces had killed the al Qaida mastermind of an attack in February 2006 that obliterated the golden dome of a sacred Shiite mosque in Samarra and fueled sectarian killings that left thousands dead.
Haitham al Badri, also accused of plotting the destruction of the same mosque's two towering minarets in June, was killed Thursday after he and three other insurgents emerged from buildings that military forces had been monitoring, U.S. officials said. The four men were about to stage an ambush on troops when coalition units attacked them, said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a spokesman for the U.S.-led forces. Only later did the military realize it had killed a high-profile target.
After bombers blew up the famed golden dome of the Askariya Mosque in Samarra, about 65 miles north of Baghdad, Shiites took to the streets, and thousands of Sunnis and Shiites died in the ensuring violence. Iraq's national security adviser Mowaffak al Rubaie said recently that during the February 2006 attack, al Badri and five others rounded up the mosque guards, bound them and spent hours planting explosives in the mosque's gold dome, which was shattered by the bombing.
Also Sunday, men wearing Iraqi military uniforms tried to gun down one of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr's top aides, raising questions about whether the powerful Mahdi Army controlled by Sadr may be turning on its own, using tactics typically linked to the Mahdi Army itself. Sadr officials said that Sadr's top aide, Hazem al Araji, was in a convoy in the northwest Baghdad neighborhood of Kadhimiyah when armed men wearing Iraqi National Guard uniforms opened fire on him, injuring five of his bodyguards.
Sadr, an influential cleric, leads the Mahdi Army, which has infiltrated Iraqi security forces and is often accused of posing in Iraqi military uniforms to carry out its attacks. It is unclear whether the would-be assassins were actual Iraqi soldiers or possibly other backers of Sadr, whose movement has become splintered in recent months.
A spokesperson for the Iraqi military could not be reached for comment Sunday. Recently, al Araji was reported to have lost clout in the Sadr movement and some of his control over the Mahdi Army in Kadhimiyah. Qahtan al Sudani, a spokesman for Araji who leads the Sadr office in Kadhimiyah, blamed the attack on Sunnis. "We accuse the Baathist takfiris," al Sudani said referring to both Saddam Hussein's secular party and Sunni extremists.
Haitham al Badri, also accused of plotting the destruction of the same mosque's two towering minarets in June, was killed Thursday after he and three other insurgents emerged from buildings that military forces had been monitoring, U.S. officials said. The four men were about to stage an ambush on troops when coalition units attacked them, said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a spokesman for the U.S.-led forces. Only later did the military realize it had killed a high-profile target.
After bombers blew up the famed golden dome of the Askariya Mosque in Samarra, about 65 miles north of Baghdad, Shiites took to the streets, and thousands of Sunnis and Shiites died in the ensuring violence. Iraq's national security adviser Mowaffak al Rubaie said recently that during the February 2006 attack, al Badri and five others rounded up the mosque guards, bound them and spent hours planting explosives in the mosque's gold dome, which was shattered by the bombing.
Also Sunday, men wearing Iraqi military uniforms tried to gun down one of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr's top aides, raising questions about whether the powerful Mahdi Army controlled by Sadr may be turning on its own, using tactics typically linked to the Mahdi Army itself. Sadr officials said that Sadr's top aide, Hazem al Araji, was in a convoy in the northwest Baghdad neighborhood of Kadhimiyah when armed men wearing Iraqi National Guard uniforms opened fire on him, injuring five of his bodyguards.
Sadr, an influential cleric, leads the Mahdi Army, which has infiltrated Iraqi security forces and is often accused of posing in Iraqi military uniforms to carry out its attacks. It is unclear whether the would-be assassins were actual Iraqi soldiers or possibly other backers of Sadr, whose movement has become splintered in recent months.
A spokesperson for the Iraqi military could not be reached for comment Sunday. Recently, al Araji was reported to have lost clout in the Sadr movement and some of his control over the Mahdi Army in Kadhimiyah. Qahtan al Sudani, a spokesman for Araji who leads the Sadr office in Kadhimiyah, blamed the attack on Sunnis. "We accuse the Baathist takfiris," al Sudani said referring to both Saddam Hussein's secular party and Sunni extremists.
Labels: Al Qaeda, Askariya shrine, Haitham al Badri, Lt. Col Chris Garver, Samarra, U.S. forces
Friday, July 13, 2007
Al Qaida’s Base Of Operations Taken Over In Diyala
Security
(Badr Newspaper) - 12 JUL - MNF spokesman, COL Kevin Bergner, said that Iraqi and American joint forces have taken over the media center of Al Qaida near Samarra. Bergner said yesterday that the joint forces took over the media center for Al Qaida which was called Al Furqan Media Institute. He added, “We found training manuals which were used to train Arab fighters in sniping techniques and video tapes which taught insurgents on how to conduct operations against the Iraqi forces.”
During a press conference, a map was presented which showed areas controlled by Al Qaida. He pointed out, “The media center included a professional studio and a center for burning CDs. The center used to produce 162 CDs every eight hours. We also found a message which explained how to approach the media to benefit Al Qaida. The joint forces arrested 11 Al Qaida princes, or emirs, in addition to seven others who were bringing foreign fighters and money into Iraq. Also, we arrested members of a car bomb cell and five other prince’s assistants.”
Bergner pointed out that the IP forces of Anbar were able to arrest a foreign fighter who entered Anbar using Syria. The foreign fighter said that he refused to detonate two truck bombs on Ramadi’s main bridge. Later, he was arrested by the IPs. Bergner further stated that clashes with Al Qaida lasted for two days in Ramadi, and that 35 Al Qaida members were killed and three others were arrested. One of the arrested members was carrying a message from Al Qaida to Anbar’s citizens warning them not to reject Al Qaida.
During a press conference, a map was presented which showed areas controlled by Al Qaida. He pointed out, “The media center included a professional studio and a center for burning CDs. The center used to produce 162 CDs every eight hours. We also found a message which explained how to approach the media to benefit Al Qaida. The joint forces arrested 11 Al Qaida princes, or emirs, in addition to seven others who were bringing foreign fighters and money into Iraq. Also, we arrested members of a car bomb cell and five other prince’s assistants.”
Bergner pointed out that the IP forces of Anbar were able to arrest a foreign fighter who entered Anbar using Syria. The foreign fighter said that he refused to detonate two truck bombs on Ramadi’s main bridge. Later, he was arrested by the IPs. Bergner further stated that clashes with Al Qaida lasted for two days in Ramadi, and that 35 Al Qaida members were killed and three others were arrested. One of the arrested members was carrying a message from Al Qaida to Anbar’s citizens warning them not to reject Al Qaida.
Labels: Al Furqan Media Institute, Al Qaeda, Col. Kevin Bergner, Samarra
Monday, July 02, 2007
Kurds offer Kurdish battalion to protect Askariya shrine
Security
(AP) - Kurdish officials offered to provide troops to protect a Shiite shrine in the central Iraqi city of Samarra that was heavily damaged twice in bombings the past 16 months, destroying its dome and minarets, officials said Sunday. The offer would have to be approved by the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki but could anger many Sunni Arabs in Samarra, who are suspicious of the Kurds.
The Askariya shrine in Samarra, 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad, is one of the holiest places for Shiites, and a February 2006 bombing that destroyed its golden dome sparked retaliation by Shiites and a brutal cycle of sectarian killings. Despite heightened security, it was struck again last month, bringing down its two minarets.
A delegation from the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq made the proposal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who recently called off a march to Samarra planned for July 5 after the government and Sunni leaders urged him to do so for fear of sectarian clashes.
"A Kurdish delegation visited (the holy city of) Najaf and came forward with the initiative to protect the holy shrine and guarantee security to the companies and workers who will rebuild the shrine," said Saleh al-Aujaili, a legislator from al-Sadr's bloc in parliament. He said the Sadrist movement welcomes the proposal.
Brig. Gen. Jabbar Yawar, an undersecretary for the Kurdish regional Ministry of Peshmerga (Kurdish militiaman), said a predominantly Kurdish battalion of the Iraqi army's 2nd Brigade is ready to go to Samarra to protect the shrine. "The force will be mixed of Kurds, Arabs and Turkomen and does not belong to any (ethnic) group," Yawar said. He added that the force was waiting for a decision by the Baghdad government. Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh was not in the country for comment and repeated calls to other government officials went unanswered.
Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said there is no need for a force to deploy in the area since the Iraqi army's 4th Division, made up mainly of Shiite and Sunni Arabs, is deployed in Salahuddin province, where Samarra is located. He added that an Iraqi army force has deployed around the shrine since the June 13 bombing.
The Askariya shrine in Samarra, 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad, is one of the holiest places for Shiites, and a February 2006 bombing that destroyed its golden dome sparked retaliation by Shiites and a brutal cycle of sectarian killings. Despite heightened security, it was struck again last month, bringing down its two minarets.
A delegation from the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq made the proposal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who recently called off a march to Samarra planned for July 5 after the government and Sunni leaders urged him to do so for fear of sectarian clashes.
"A Kurdish delegation visited (the holy city of) Najaf and came forward with the initiative to protect the holy shrine and guarantee security to the companies and workers who will rebuild the shrine," said Saleh al-Aujaili, a legislator from al-Sadr's bloc in parliament. He said the Sadrist movement welcomes the proposal.
Brig. Gen. Jabbar Yawar, an undersecretary for the Kurdish regional Ministry of Peshmerga (Kurdish militiaman), said a predominantly Kurdish battalion of the Iraqi army's 2nd Brigade is ready to go to Samarra to protect the shrine. "The force will be mixed of Kurds, Arabs and Turkomen and does not belong to any (ethnic) group," Yawar said. He added that the force was waiting for a decision by the Baghdad government. Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh was not in the country for comment and repeated calls to other government officials went unanswered.
Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said there is no need for a force to deploy in the area since the Iraqi army's 4th Division, made up mainly of Shiite and Sunni Arabs, is deployed in Salahuddin province, where Samarra is located. He added that an Iraqi army force has deployed around the shrine since the June 13 bombing.
Labels: Askariya shrine, Brig. Gen. Jabbar Yawar, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Najaf, Peshmerga, Samarra
Friday, June 29, 2007
UNESCO adds Samarra to World Heritage Sites list
Culture
(AFP) - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced the latest additions to its list of World Heritage Sites on Thursday, singling out the Iraqi shrine city of Samarra as a new site that is also a site in danger.
Ever since the US-led war in Iraq broke out in 2003, the shrine city has been repeatedly targeting by bombings. It was once a powerful Islamic capital and ruled over the provinces of the Abbasid Empire, which extended from Tunisia to Central Asia in the ninth century.
Last week, Iraq signed a multi-million-dollar deal with UNESCO to rebuild a revered Shiite mosque in the city. The mosque was all but destroyed by two attacks, most recently on June 13. The first bombing, in 2006, destroyed the shrine's golden dome and sparked reprisals that have claimed tens of thousands of lives. The follow-up attack earlier this month destroyed the shrine's two gold-covered minarets.
In addition to the site in Samarra, a silver mine on a Japanese island, rock carvings in Namibia and the iconic Sydney Opera House were added to the UN body's register of places that hold global cultural significance. There are 830 sites on the list already.
Ever since the US-led war in Iraq broke out in 2003, the shrine city has been repeatedly targeting by bombings. It was once a powerful Islamic capital and ruled over the provinces of the Abbasid Empire, which extended from Tunisia to Central Asia in the ninth century.
Last week, Iraq signed a multi-million-dollar deal with UNESCO to rebuild a revered Shiite mosque in the city. The mosque was all but destroyed by two attacks, most recently on June 13. The first bombing, in 2006, destroyed the shrine's golden dome and sparked reprisals that have claimed tens of thousands of lives. The follow-up attack earlier this month destroyed the shrine's two gold-covered minarets.
In addition to the site in Samarra, a silver mine on a Japanese island, rock carvings in Namibia and the iconic Sydney Opera House were added to the UN body's register of places that hold global cultural significance. There are 830 sites on the list already.
Labels: Askariya shrine, Samarra, UNESCO, World Heritage Sites
Al-Sadr delays Samarra shrine march
Security
(Al Jazeera) - Muqtada al-Sadr, a Shia cleric, has postponed his followers' march toward a bombed Shia shrine north of Baghdad. "Muqtada al-Sadr has decided to postpone the march to Samarra for several reasons, including the government's inability to secure the route and many officials' appeals for a postponement," Sheikh Asad Al-Nassiri, an aide to the cleric, said on Friday. He made the announcement during a Friday sermon in nearby Kufa.
Earlier on Friday, the Iraqi Accordance Front, the largest Sunni bloc in Iraq's parliament called on al-Sadr to cancel the march, saying it was too dangerous. Al-Sadr had called for his followers to march to the Askariya shrine in Samarra known for its shimmering golden dome destroyed by suspected al-Qaeda bombers in February 2006.
After a second attack toppled the mosque complex's minarets earlier this month, the cleric called for Shias to march to the shrine on July 5. The statement by the Sunni bloc, which holds 44 seats in the 275-member legislature, came a day after the Iraqi cabinet and the defence ministry both made similar pleas, saying the road to the mosque was not yet secure.
"We call on our Shia brothers and those in the al-Sadr movement to postpone their planned visit in July to the Askariya shrine, which was the target of two terrorist criminal attacks that aimed to divide Iraqis," the statement said.
Earlier on Friday, the Iraqi Accordance Front, the largest Sunni bloc in Iraq's parliament called on al-Sadr to cancel the march, saying it was too dangerous. Al-Sadr had called for his followers to march to the Askariya shrine in Samarra known for its shimmering golden dome destroyed by suspected al-Qaeda bombers in February 2006.
After a second attack toppled the mosque complex's minarets earlier this month, the cleric called for Shias to march to the shrine on July 5. The statement by the Sunni bloc, which holds 44 seats in the 275-member legislature, came a day after the Iraqi cabinet and the defence ministry both made similar pleas, saying the road to the mosque was not yet secure.
"We call on our Shia brothers and those in the al-Sadr movement to postpone their planned visit in July to the Askariya shrine, which was the target of two terrorist criminal attacks that aimed to divide Iraqis," the statement said.
Labels: Askariya shrine, Iraqi Accordance Front, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Samarra, Sheikh Asad Al-Nassiri
Thursday, June 28, 2007
al-Sadr vows Samarra march to proceed despite warnings
Security
(AP) - Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr vowed Thursday to go ahead with a planned march to a devastated shrine in central Iraq but insisted the goal was not to confront Sunnis who live along the way. Instead, al-Sadr said the march was aimed at bringing Shiites and Sunnis closer together and breaking down the barriers imposed by the Americans and Sunni religious extremists.
The march is set for July 5 to the Askariya shrine in Samarra, which was bombed for a second time June 13. Sunni organizations and government officials have urged al-Sadr to cancel the march, fearing it will escalate sectarian violence that already has claimed thousands of lives. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office issued a statement Thursday calling on people not to go to the central city because securing the road between Baghdad and Samarra will take "some time."
"As we appreciate the people's feelings to go to Samarra in a peaceful march, we declare that securing the road to the city has not been completed according to commanders in the area," the statement said. Some Sunnis also fear that the march will bring thousands of Shiites to Samarra in a bid to change the demographics of the predominantly Sunni city. Al-Sadr insisted that his marchers will return to their homes as soon as the march is over.
"We call upon all Iraqis, whether tribesmen, dignitaries or officials to show the good will and cooperate in order for this march to be successful and to be a turning point in improving the fractured relations," al-Sadr said. Since his return from Iran last month, al-Sadr has been trying to show himself as a unifying figure for Iraqis rather than a divisive Shiite leader. His posters can be seen in some streets of Baghdad with a caption reading: "I am not a Shiite and not a Sunni. I am Iraqi."
Al-Sadr called Iraqis of all sects and ethnic groups to take part in the march, which is to mark the birthday of Islam's Prophet Muhammad's daughter, Fatima. "We hope that this year will be good for Iraqis when they get closer to each other by breaking all the barriers that were placed by the occupiers and takfiris," al-Sadr said.
Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia launched two uprising against U.S. troops in 2004 and is widely blamed for much of the sectarian violence against Sunnis. An aide said thousands of gunmen will guard the demonstrators, who are expected to come from the predominantly Shiite south and Baghdad's eastern slum of Sadr City.
He said that the government has sent al-Sadr intelligence reports warning that Sunni insurgents are planning attacks against the Shiite demonstrators. Samarra, located 60 miles north of Baghdad, is an area where al-Qaida's Iraq branch is known to be active. The shrine is revered by Shiites even though the city is mostly Sunni.
The march is set for July 5 to the Askariya shrine in Samarra, which was bombed for a second time June 13. Sunni organizations and government officials have urged al-Sadr to cancel the march, fearing it will escalate sectarian violence that already has claimed thousands of lives. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office issued a statement Thursday calling on people not to go to the central city because securing the road between Baghdad and Samarra will take "some time."
"As we appreciate the people's feelings to go to Samarra in a peaceful march, we declare that securing the road to the city has not been completed according to commanders in the area," the statement said. Some Sunnis also fear that the march will bring thousands of Shiites to Samarra in a bid to change the demographics of the predominantly Sunni city. Al-Sadr insisted that his marchers will return to their homes as soon as the march is over.
"We call upon all Iraqis, whether tribesmen, dignitaries or officials to show the good will and cooperate in order for this march to be successful and to be a turning point in improving the fractured relations," al-Sadr said. Since his return from Iran last month, al-Sadr has been trying to show himself as a unifying figure for Iraqis rather than a divisive Shiite leader. His posters can be seen in some streets of Baghdad with a caption reading: "I am not a Shiite and not a Sunni. I am Iraqi."
Al-Sadr called Iraqis of all sects and ethnic groups to take part in the march, which is to mark the birthday of Islam's Prophet Muhammad's daughter, Fatima. "We hope that this year will be good for Iraqis when they get closer to each other by breaking all the barriers that were placed by the occupiers and takfiris," al-Sadr said.
Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia launched two uprising against U.S. troops in 2004 and is widely blamed for much of the sectarian violence against Sunnis. An aide said thousands of gunmen will guard the demonstrators, who are expected to come from the predominantly Shiite south and Baghdad's eastern slum of Sadr City.
He said that the government has sent al-Sadr intelligence reports warning that Sunni insurgents are planning attacks against the Shiite demonstrators. Samarra, located 60 miles north of Baghdad, is an area where al-Qaida's Iraq branch is known to be active. The shrine is revered by Shiites even though the city is mostly Sunni.
Labels: Askariya shrine, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Samarra
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
UNESCO to help Iraq rebuild al-Askari shrine
Reconstruction
(Reuters) - The United Nations has agreed to help Iraq rebuild the al-Askari shrine in the city of Samarra that was badly damaged in separate attacks last year and earlier this month, UNESCO said on Tuesday. A memorandum of understanding was signed in Jordan on Sunday, UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization said. A spokesman said $8.4 million had been budgeted for the work, of which $3 million would come from the Iraqi government with the rest coming from UN funds.
The al-Askari Mosque, also known as the Golden Mosque, one of the four major Shi'ite shrines in Iraq, was badly damaged on June 13 in an attack which destroyed two minarets that had survived an earlier attack on Feb. 22, 2006. The bombing of the mosque last year, which wrecked the shrine's famous golden dome but did not damage the minarets, was a turning point for Iraq, unleashing sectarian violence that has killed tens of thousands of people.
Two of the 12 revered Shi'ite imams are buried in the Samarra shrine -- Imam Ali al-Hadi, who died in 868 and his son, the 11th imam, Hasan al-Askari, who died in 874. Reconstruction work, expected to take 10 months, would begin "as soon as security conditions are guaranteed", the UNESCO statement said. No reconstruction of the shrine has taken place, partly because of disagreements between Shi'ites and Sunnis over how the work will be carried out. The Iraqi government blamed al Qaeda for the 2006 attack.
The al-Askari Mosque, also known as the Golden Mosque, one of the four major Shi'ite shrines in Iraq, was badly damaged on June 13 in an attack which destroyed two minarets that had survived an earlier attack on Feb. 22, 2006. The bombing of the mosque last year, which wrecked the shrine's famous golden dome but did not damage the minarets, was a turning point for Iraq, unleashing sectarian violence that has killed tens of thousands of people.
Two of the 12 revered Shi'ite imams are buried in the Samarra shrine -- Imam Ali al-Hadi, who died in 868 and his son, the 11th imam, Hasan al-Askari, who died in 874. Reconstruction work, expected to take 10 months, would begin "as soon as security conditions are guaranteed", the UNESCO statement said. No reconstruction of the shrine has taken place, partly because of disagreements between Shi'ites and Sunnis over how the work will be carried out. The Iraqi government blamed al Qaeda for the 2006 attack.
Labels: Al-Askari Mosque, reconstruction, Samarra, UNESCO
Association of Muslim Scholars urges al-Sadr to cancel Shia march
Politics, Religion, Security
(AP) - An influential Sunni clerical organization urged Shiite Muslims on Monday to cancel a march toward a destroyed shrine in an Iraqi central city, warning that such a move will further enflame sectarian hatred. The statement by the Association of Muslim Scholars was in response to a call by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr for his followers to march July 5 to Samarra's Askariya shrine, which was bombed for a second time June 13.
Such a march by Shiites in predominantly Sunni area could lead to more sectarian violence between the two Muslim sects. Thousands of Sunnis and Shiites have been killed in sectarian killings in the past two years.
"We want you to be aware that this step in this current situation is not suitable and its risks are clear to everyone," the Sunni association said in the statement. "The goals behind this movement are very dangerous. There are some parties who want to make use of your feelings of love for these shrines to have their ambitions of tearing Iraq's unity and provoking a nonstop sectarian dispute among its people."
"The citizens of Samarra will consider this huge march in their city as an invasion on their areas, and the parts who pushed you might attack you as well, and the blame would be fall on Samarra's people," the statement said. "We appeal you to forsake this demonstration now for the sake of your country, your unity and Islam," The letter said.
An aide to al-Sadr, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that the cleric is insisting on the march despite efforts by the government to talk him out of it. The aide said thousands of gunmen will guard the demonstrators, who are expected to come from the predominantly Shiite south and Baghdad's eastern slum of Sadr City. He said that the government has sent al-Sadr intelligence reports warning that insurgents are planning attacks against the Shiite demonstrators.
July 5 is the Islamic calendar anniversary of the birth of the mother of Imam Hussein, a major Shiite saint. Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, is an area where al-Qaida is known to be active. The Askariya shrine is revered by Shiites even though the city is mostly Sunni.
Such a march by Shiites in predominantly Sunni area could lead to more sectarian violence between the two Muslim sects. Thousands of Sunnis and Shiites have been killed in sectarian killings in the past two years.
"We want you to be aware that this step in this current situation is not suitable and its risks are clear to everyone," the Sunni association said in the statement. "The goals behind this movement are very dangerous. There are some parties who want to make use of your feelings of love for these shrines to have their ambitions of tearing Iraq's unity and provoking a nonstop sectarian dispute among its people."
"The citizens of Samarra will consider this huge march in their city as an invasion on their areas, and the parts who pushed you might attack you as well, and the blame would be fall on Samarra's people," the statement said. "We appeal you to forsake this demonstration now for the sake of your country, your unity and Islam," The letter said.
An aide to al-Sadr, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said that the cleric is insisting on the march despite efforts by the government to talk him out of it. The aide said thousands of gunmen will guard the demonstrators, who are expected to come from the predominantly Shiite south and Baghdad's eastern slum of Sadr City. He said that the government has sent al-Sadr intelligence reports warning that insurgents are planning attacks against the Shiite demonstrators.
July 5 is the Islamic calendar anniversary of the birth of the mother of Imam Hussein, a major Shiite saint. Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, is an area where al-Qaida is known to be active. The Askariya shrine is revered by Shiites even though the city is mostly Sunni.
Labels: Al Qaeda, Askariya shrine, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Muslim Scholars Association, Samarra
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Religious Authority Upset Because Americans Are Arming Baathist Tribes
Security, Politics
(Al Bayyna Newspaper) - 19 JUN - A number of Iraqi clerics and politicians have criticized the weak security procedures in Samarra before the disaster which occurred last Wednesday. They are also critical of the new American strategy to arm tribes which are mostly Baathist. In a press statement, politicians and clerics confirmed, “There is something wrong in the government’s monitoring of many different issues, especially “procedures” of the American Army in a number of provinces which includes arming some Sunni tribes that have a Baathist history while Americans are calling to destroy the militias.”
Political observers have said, “Blowing up the Samarra shrines is a terrorist crime and it is simultaneous with critical reports from European sources in Brussels who state that Saudi Arabia has succeeded in convincing the American administration to initiate a project for the Sunni Baathists to rule Iraq. The European sources described this critical political / military project as a dual project to arm the Sunni Baathist militias with weapons and ammunition in order to prepare them to take control of cities and neighborhoods one at a time. This will occur while the US forces and the MNF attack the “Shiite volunteer committees” [militias] in order to allow the minority to rule Iraq, or at least to help Baathists occupy all of Baghdad and remove the Shiites from Baghdad.
Labels: Baathists, Samarra, tribes
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Insurgent group says it defused bomb to protect civilians
Security
Jaysh Al-Fatihin said in a May 24 Internet statement that it defused a bomb planted near a school in Samarra in an effort to protect students and passersby. The Iraqi insurgent group said the bomb was planted by "unknown men," which is likely a reference to Al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq. Several Iraqi insurgent groups have criticized Islamic State in recent months for its indiscriminate killing of civilians across the country.
COMMENT: If true, this is yet another indication of Sunni tribes and militants turning against the Islamic State of Iraq. They are rapidly losing their support base which facilitated logistics, camoflage and ease of operation. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Jaysh Al-Fatihin, Samarra
Friday, May 11, 2007
Muslim Scholars Association condemns U.S. Samarra siege
Politics, Security
(RFE/RL) - The Sunni-led Muslim Scholars Association issued a statement on its website on May 9 condemning the nearly weeklong siege of Samarra by U.S. forces and describing it as collective punishment. "These forces carried out raid-and-arrest campaigns against the sons of the city without leveling any charges against them," the statement said.
"While condemning these inhuman acts, the Muslim Scholars Association calls on the international community to shoulder its responsibility and stand in the face of the occupation forces and the current government." Samarra has been sealed off and under curfew since leaflets by the Al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq warning of attacks against the Iraqi military and police were distributed in the city. On May 6, a suicide car bomb struck a police station in Samarra, killing 12 police officers.
COMMENT: The Hayat Al-Ulama Al-Muslimin [Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS] is also known as the Ulema Council. Ulema is the community of legal scholars of Islam and the Sharia. The Muslim Ulema Council is the highest Sunni authority in Iraq. It has many activities on the political, social, economic, and religious levels. They as of yet have not joined the newly formed government and remain as opposition group due to the fact that they believe joining the process whilst iraq is under occupation is unjust. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Islamic State of Iraq, Muslim Scholars Association, Samarra, U.S. forces
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Car bomb kills 25 in Baghdad
Security
(AP) - A car bomb ripped through a commercial district in western Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens in one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in recent days. The blast occurred about noon in the mixed Sunni-Shiite Baiyaa neighborhood, the scene of frequent sectarian violence including a bombing and mortar attack last week that killed seven people. The bombing Sunday came amid an 11-week-old crackdown by U.S.-led forces intended to bring stability to Baghdad.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which was part of a wave of violence across Iraq on Sunday that killed at least 37 people. Meanwhile, U.S. and Iraqi troops continued their operations in the city, entering the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City on an early morning raid and searching houses in the area, known as a hotbed of Shiite militant groups. Aircraft flew over the neighborhood during the raid and carried out airstrikes on four houses, reducing one to a pile of bricks and rubble, police and witnesses said. The occupants of the destroyed house had apparently fled before the raid. Several cars were also charred and badly damaged.
In other violence Sunday, insurgents exploded a car bomb outside a police station in the town of Samarra, about 60 miles north of Baghdad, killing two police and a bystander, police said. A few minutes later, militants in the town attacked a police checkpoint near the al-Askari shrine, killing another police officer, police said.
A gunbattle between unidentified gunmen and Iraqi forces in a market in the town of Baqouba 35 miles northeast of Baghdad killed two civilians dead, police said. In the town of Kut, 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, a roadside bomb outside a teacher's house killed three of his children, all of them under the age of 10, police said. The parents were not injured in the attack. Police also found the bullet-riddled bodies of three men, who were blindfolded, handcuffed and dumped in the Tigris River in the town of Suwayrah, 25 miles south of Baghdad.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which was part of a wave of violence across Iraq on Sunday that killed at least 37 people. Meanwhile, U.S. and Iraqi troops continued their operations in the city, entering the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City on an early morning raid and searching houses in the area, known as a hotbed of Shiite militant groups. Aircraft flew over the neighborhood during the raid and carried out airstrikes on four houses, reducing one to a pile of bricks and rubble, police and witnesses said. The occupants of the destroyed house had apparently fled before the raid. Several cars were also charred and badly damaged.
In other violence Sunday, insurgents exploded a car bomb outside a police station in the town of Samarra, about 60 miles north of Baghdad, killing two police and a bystander, police said. A few minutes later, militants in the town attacked a police checkpoint near the al-Askari shrine, killing another police officer, police said.
A gunbattle between unidentified gunmen and Iraqi forces in a market in the town of Baqouba 35 miles northeast of Baghdad killed two civilians dead, police said. In the town of Kut, 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, a roadside bomb outside a teacher's house killed three of his children, all of them under the age of 10, police said. The parents were not injured in the attack. Police also found the bullet-riddled bodies of three men, who were blindfolded, handcuffed and dumped in the Tigris River in the town of Suwayrah, 25 miles south of Baghdad.
Labels: Baghdad, Baiyaa, Baqouba, car bomb, Kut, Sadr City, Samarra
Saturday, May 05, 2007
51 fuel tankers set on fire
Security
(Azzaman) -Unidentified armed groups attacked a convoy of 51 fuel tankers and set them on fire on the highway between Baiji and Samarra. The tankers were loaded with oil products from the country’s main refinery complex in Baiji and were reported to be on their way to the rebel city of Ramadi west of Baghdad.
Both Baiji and Samarra are rebel hideouts and armed groups have conspicuous presence in the area. The two cities control the highway leading to the refineries and the Turkish borders. The whole area stretching from Baghdad to Mosul, 400 kilometers to the north of the capital, is extremely dangerous.
Rebels frequently attack fuel convoys as well as pipelines and oil installations. Their attacks have almost put out of order the twin pipeline which used to carry nearly 1 million barrels of oil to Turkish Mediterranean terminals under former leader Saddam Hussein. Baiji is also the site of major power generation plants and but rebel attacks on pylons and supply lines as well as the plants themselves have reduced out to minimal.
Both Baiji and Samarra are rebel hideouts and armed groups have conspicuous presence in the area. The two cities control the highway leading to the refineries and the Turkish borders. The whole area stretching from Baghdad to Mosul, 400 kilometers to the north of the capital, is extremely dangerous.
Rebels frequently attack fuel convoys as well as pipelines and oil installations. Their attacks have almost put out of order the twin pipeline which used to carry nearly 1 million barrels of oil to Turkish Mediterranean terminals under former leader Saddam Hussein. Baiji is also the site of major power generation plants and but rebel attacks on pylons and supply lines as well as the plants themselves have reduced out to minimal.
Labels: armed groups, Baiji, fuel tankers, Samarra
