Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Anbar Tribal Sheikhs Will Announce Political Front; Abu Risha Contacts Insurgent Groups To Strengthen His Power
Politics
(Mashriq Newspaper) - 9 OCT - Anbar’s tribal sheikhs are ready to announce a political front. Meanwhile, a leader from an insurgent group has confirmed that Ahmed Abu Risha has contacted insurgent groups to support his power. Sheikh Ali Al Hatim, Anbar’s Tribal Council Chief, said that he will meet with the Anbar Awakening Council Chief, Ahmed Abu Risha and Sheikh Hamid Al Hayis, who was ousted from the council during Sheikh Abd Al Sattar Abu Risha’s regime. The goal of this meeting is to form a political front that has one opinion which all can agree on. Al Hatim said, “We will not allow anyone to make any decision alone or to say he represents the council which is led by Abu Risha.”
Some people close to Abu Risha have said that relations between Abu Risha and Al Hayis are bad because Al Hayis met with the Iraqi government in Baghdad, but Al Hatim said, “The relations between Al Hayis and Abu Risha are good and there is no disagreement between them.” Al Hatim added, “We do not accept Al Hayis to represent our positions in his meetings with the government or with other sides.” He confirmed, “We have our opinion about the meeting between Jalal Al Din Saghier and Al Hayis.” Al Hatim continued, “We do not have problems with SICI, but everyone knows that the relationships between the Sunni and Shiite sides are tense. Meetings such as these will increase the tension between these groups. The reports that claim Sheikh Al Hayis and I are working against Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha are incorrect. There is no tension between Abu Risha and Al Hayis.”
Al Hayis met with Sheikh Jalal Al Din Al Saghier, the Shiite Alliance and SICI member to discuss the problem of Anbar. During this meeting Al Hayis said, “Sheikh Abd Al Sattar Abu Risha played a large role in improving the opinion of Sunnis in Iraq.”
An anonymous leader from an insurgent group in Anbar said, “Al Hayis is not working for Anbar’s interest.” He confirmed, “Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha is a good politician, but sometimes he flatters people. Some Sunni politicians are trying to take credit for our achievements.” He added, “We demand that Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha follow the style of his brother Sheikh Abd Al Sattar Abu Risha.” He added “Al Hayis has visited Iran many times; therefore he must want to support any Iranian project in Iraq. Abu Risha has contacted the resistance leaders and that is important to us.”
In related news, Sunni Accord Front, Omar Abd Al Sattar said, “The Accord Front, Awakening Council, and the Tribal Council are working together with the Abu Risha family to serve Anbar Province.”
Some people close to Abu Risha have said that relations between Abu Risha and Al Hayis are bad because Al Hayis met with the Iraqi government in Baghdad, but Al Hatim said, “The relations between Al Hayis and Abu Risha are good and there is no disagreement between them.” Al Hatim added, “We do not accept Al Hayis to represent our positions in his meetings with the government or with other sides.” He confirmed, “We have our opinion about the meeting between Jalal Al Din Saghier and Al Hayis.” Al Hatim continued, “We do not have problems with SICI, but everyone knows that the relationships between the Sunni and Shiite sides are tense. Meetings such as these will increase the tension between these groups. The reports that claim Sheikh Al Hayis and I are working against Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha are incorrect. There is no tension between Abu Risha and Al Hayis.”
Al Hayis met with Sheikh Jalal Al Din Al Saghier, the Shiite Alliance and SICI member to discuss the problem of Anbar. During this meeting Al Hayis said, “Sheikh Abd Al Sattar Abu Risha played a large role in improving the opinion of Sunnis in Iraq.”
An anonymous leader from an insurgent group in Anbar said, “Al Hayis is not working for Anbar’s interest.” He confirmed, “Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha is a good politician, but sometimes he flatters people. Some Sunni politicians are trying to take credit for our achievements.” He added, “We demand that Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha follow the style of his brother Sheikh Abd Al Sattar Abu Risha.” He added “Al Hayis has visited Iran many times; therefore he must want to support any Iranian project in Iraq. Abu Risha has contacted the resistance leaders and that is important to us.”
In related news, Sunni Accord Front, Omar Abd Al Sattar said, “The Accord Front, Awakening Council, and the Tribal Council are working together with the Abu Risha family to serve Anbar Province.”
Labels: Anbar Salvation Council, Anbar Tribal Council, insurgent groups, Sheikh Ahmed Abu Risha, Sheikh Ali Al Hatim, Sheikh Hamid Al Hayis, Sheikh Jalal Al Din Al Saghier, SICI
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Political parties in Kurdistan targeted by insurgent groups
Security, Politics
(Azzaman) - Kurdish political factions operating in the Sunni Arab-dominated Province of Nineveh have become a main target for attacks by insurgent groups in the area. In the past few weeks, offices of Kurdish parties which are heavily protected by Kurdish peshmerga or militias were hit by a series of car bomb attacks in which scores of Kurdish fighters were killed and many injured.
The insurgents have so far destroyed three main offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of the Massoud Barazin, the president of the Kurdish region. The Kurds have extended their influence and control to the peripheries of Mosul, the provincial capital. Kurdish militias patrol the city’s outlying towns and villages and set up checkpoint on main roads leading to it. Mosul is a major insurgent stronghold and insurgent leaders fear Kurdish practices might choke their supply routes.
A senior Kurdish official is number two in Nineveh provincial council to represent a sizeable Kurdish community in the city. The official, Khisro Koran, a senior KDP member and deputy governor of Nineveh, said the attacks were meant to “embroil the Kurds in the current sectarian fighting” in the country. He said Kurds in Mosul and other areas were being subjected “to a campaign of liquidation,” forcing thousands of them to flee. The insurgents operate conspicuously in Mosul and kidnap or kill officials or residents who do not heed their instructions.
The insurgents have so far destroyed three main offices of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of the Massoud Barazin, the president of the Kurdish region. The Kurds have extended their influence and control to the peripheries of Mosul, the provincial capital. Kurdish militias patrol the city’s outlying towns and villages and set up checkpoint on main roads leading to it. Mosul is a major insurgent stronghold and insurgent leaders fear Kurdish practices might choke their supply routes.
A senior Kurdish official is number two in Nineveh provincial council to represent a sizeable Kurdish community in the city. The official, Khisro Koran, a senior KDP member and deputy governor of Nineveh, said the attacks were meant to “embroil the Kurds in the current sectarian fighting” in the country. He said Kurds in Mosul and other areas were being subjected “to a campaign of liquidation,” forcing thousands of them to flee. The insurgents operate conspicuously in Mosul and kidnap or kill officials or residents who do not heed their instructions.
Labels: car bombs, insurgent groups, KDP, Khisro Koran, Kurdish parties, Ninevah, Peshmerga
Monday, April 23, 2007
Al-Maliki drums up support from region's Sunni-led governments
Security, Region
(AP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki got a strong endorsement from the Egyptian leadership as he began a tour to drum up support from fellow Arab nations for his government and its efforts to reduce widespread sectarian violence. Al-Maliki, making his first visit as prime minister to Egypt, the Arab world's most populous nation, met with President Hosni Mubarak for about 45 minutes Sunday and later held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Nazif.
Al-Maliki's visit came 10 days before two conferences on Iraq will be held in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik. They will be attended by Iraq's neighbors as well as Bahrain and Egypt, and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain - and other members of the Group of Eight industrialized nations.
Al-Maliki won't attend those meetings but is lobbying for more help from the mostly Sunni-led governments of the Arab world in stopping violence in Iraq. Nazif said they discussed the situation in Iraq and international efforts to help the embattled Arab nation. "Egypt stands by Iraq and we affirm our support to the Iraqi government's efforts for reconciliation between all parts of the Iraqi society and we condemn terrorism that does not differentiate between anyone," Nazif added.
Al-Maliki planned to travel next to Kuwait and aides said the United Arab Emirates and Oman might be added to his agenda. The Iraqi leader also said "there are efforts to release" five Iranians who were captured by U.S. forces on Jan. 11 in the northern city of Irbil in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, 220 miles north of Baghdad. U.S. authorities said the five detained Iranians included the operations chief and other members of Iran's elite Quds Force, which is accused of arming and training Iraqi militants.
On Tuesday, he said his Iraqi government is holding talks with some insurgent groups, including members of Saddam Hussein's former regime, as part of a reconciliation plan aimed at reducing fighting and terrorist attacks that have left thousands of people dead in Iraq in the past few years . Al-Maliki did not identify the groups his government is in contact with, but said that when the Sharm el-Sheik conference takes place on May 3-4, "we will have good chances for reconciliation."
In June, al-Maliki announced a 24-point national reconciliation program that offers amnesty to members of the Sunni-led insurgency who were not involved in "terrorist activities," and amends a law that had removed senior members of Saddam's Baath Party from their jobs. Earlier this month, the prime minister visited Japan and South Korea, members of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
Al-Maliki's visit came 10 days before two conferences on Iraq will be held in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik. They will be attended by Iraq's neighbors as well as Bahrain and Egypt, and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain - and other members of the Group of Eight industrialized nations.
Al-Maliki won't attend those meetings but is lobbying for more help from the mostly Sunni-led governments of the Arab world in stopping violence in Iraq. Nazif said they discussed the situation in Iraq and international efforts to help the embattled Arab nation. "Egypt stands by Iraq and we affirm our support to the Iraqi government's efforts for reconciliation between all parts of the Iraqi society and we condemn terrorism that does not differentiate between anyone," Nazif added.
Al-Maliki planned to travel next to Kuwait and aides said the United Arab Emirates and Oman might be added to his agenda. The Iraqi leader also said "there are efforts to release" five Iranians who were captured by U.S. forces on Jan. 11 in the northern city of Irbil in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, 220 miles north of Baghdad. U.S. authorities said the five detained Iranians included the operations chief and other members of Iran's elite Quds Force, which is accused of arming and training Iraqi militants.
On Tuesday, he said his Iraqi government is holding talks with some insurgent groups, including members of Saddam Hussein's former regime, as part of a reconciliation plan aimed at reducing fighting and terrorist attacks that have left thousands of people dead in Iraq in the past few years . Al-Maliki did not identify the groups his government is in contact with, but said that when the Sharm el-Sheik conference takes place on May 3-4, "we will have good chances for reconciliation."
In June, al-Maliki announced a 24-point national reconciliation program that offers amnesty to members of the Sunni-led insurgency who were not involved in "terrorist activities," and amends a law that had removed senior members of Saddam's Baath Party from their jobs. Earlier this month, the prime minister visited Japan and South Korea, members of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
Labels: Ahmed Nazif, Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, insurgent groups, Kuwait, Nouri Al-Maliki, Oman, Sharm el-Sheikh, UAE
