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
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Shiite tribal leaders say Islamism on the rise in southern Iraq
Religion ,Politics, Tribal
(Reuters) - Shi'ite Islamist political parties are imposing strict Islamic rules in the oil-producing southern provinces of Iraq and using their armed wings to create a state of fear, a group of tribal Shi'ite leaders said. The four tribal leaders approached Reuters on condition of anonymity, fearing assassination if their names or even their home provinces were made public.
"Fear rules the streets now," said one of the sheikhs. "We cannot speak our minds, people are not allowed to oppose them. They would immediately disappear or get killed. The evidence of that is I am talking about it but cannot use my name." The fear is not unfounded -- two provincial governors and a police chief were blown up by roadside bombs in August, apparent victims of infighting between the Shi'ite parties for political dominance in the region, source of most of Iraq's oil wealth.
Aides to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the reclusive religious leader of Iraq's Shi'ites, have also been killed. The sheikhs said the conservative religious attitudes meant only religious music was now allowed to be played in public places and dancing was forbidden, as was drinking alcohol. Women were also harassed for wearing clothing deemed inappropriate.
Photographs of secular political leaders like former interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi could not be displayed in shops and other public areas. Street committees that were set up to protect neighbourhoods from al Qaeda attacks were being misused to spy on residents and report infractions to the militias and the police, they said.
"The people of the south are religious, we are believers, but at the same time we like to live our lives and we like freedom," said one sheikh.
The Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC) and the movement of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr are the dominant political forces in the Shi'ite provinces. Both have links to neighbouring Iran and believe Iraq should be governed according to Islamic principles. SIIC controls most of the governors in the south, and its armed wing, the Badr Organisation, has many members in the police force. Sadr's powerful Mehdi Army militia has fought fierce battles with police loyal to the Badr Organisation.
SIIC and the Sadrists saw their rise to power cemented by the December 2005 elections which brought the Islamist Shi'ite Alliance to power. The Sadrists have since pulled out of the Alliance and the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, leader of the smaller Islamist Dawa party. The growing strength of the parties in the south has weakened some secular tribal leaders and excluded them from power structures, a source of patronage and revenues.
"Some say the Shi'ites are lucky because they are now ruling Iraq, but that is wrong. It is the Islamist Shi'ites who are ruling Iraq. Their victory was a curse for us," said one sheikh. The sheikhs blamed Washington for giving Shi'ite Islamists a free hand in the south. U.S. forces are concentrated to the north, focused mainly on Sunni Islamist al Qaeda and other Sunni Arab militants and so-called rogue Mehdi Army groups.
Washington has thrown its weight behind Baghdad's Islamist- led government despite misgivings about its failure to push ahead with national reconciliation and the close ties between some parties and Iran, the United States' long-time foe. SIIC and the Sadrists are seen by the sheikhs as importing a conservative brand of Shi'ism from neighbouring Iran, which U.S. officials accuse of arming Shi'ite militias to use as proxies to enforce their influence in the south.
"We are suffering from two occupations -- America and Iran. We have told American officials this and we have met some of them, but they are not listening to us," one sheikh complained. Some tribes were talking about taking up arms against the Islamist parties, but the tribal leaders said they feared this would unleash a bloodbath that would destabilise the south. "The tribes do not want violence ... but at the same time we want to see a change that preserves the rights of all Iraqis, so that we are really free," said one sheikh.
"Fear rules the streets now," said one of the sheikhs. "We cannot speak our minds, people are not allowed to oppose them. They would immediately disappear or get killed. The evidence of that is I am talking about it but cannot use my name." The fear is not unfounded -- two provincial governors and a police chief were blown up by roadside bombs in August, apparent victims of infighting between the Shi'ite parties for political dominance in the region, source of most of Iraq's oil wealth.
Aides to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the reclusive religious leader of Iraq's Shi'ites, have also been killed. The sheikhs said the conservative religious attitudes meant only religious music was now allowed to be played in public places and dancing was forbidden, as was drinking alcohol. Women were also harassed for wearing clothing deemed inappropriate.
Photographs of secular political leaders like former interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi could not be displayed in shops and other public areas. Street committees that were set up to protect neighbourhoods from al Qaeda attacks were being misused to spy on residents and report infractions to the militias and the police, they said.
"The people of the south are religious, we are believers, but at the same time we like to live our lives and we like freedom," said one sheikh.
The Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC) and the movement of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr are the dominant political forces in the Shi'ite provinces. Both have links to neighbouring Iran and believe Iraq should be governed according to Islamic principles. SIIC controls most of the governors in the south, and its armed wing, the Badr Organisation, has many members in the police force. Sadr's powerful Mehdi Army militia has fought fierce battles with police loyal to the Badr Organisation.
SIIC and the Sadrists saw their rise to power cemented by the December 2005 elections which brought the Islamist Shi'ite Alliance to power. The Sadrists have since pulled out of the Alliance and the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, leader of the smaller Islamist Dawa party. The growing strength of the parties in the south has weakened some secular tribal leaders and excluded them from power structures, a source of patronage and revenues.
"Some say the Shi'ites are lucky because they are now ruling Iraq, but that is wrong. It is the Islamist Shi'ites who are ruling Iraq. Their victory was a curse for us," said one sheikh. The sheikhs blamed Washington for giving Shi'ite Islamists a free hand in the south. U.S. forces are concentrated to the north, focused mainly on Sunni Islamist al Qaeda and other Sunni Arab militants and so-called rogue Mehdi Army groups.
Washington has thrown its weight behind Baghdad's Islamist- led government despite misgivings about its failure to push ahead with national reconciliation and the close ties between some parties and Iran, the United States' long-time foe. SIIC and the Sadrists are seen by the sheikhs as importing a conservative brand of Shi'ism from neighbouring Iran, which U.S. officials accuse of arming Shi'ite militias to use as proxies to enforce their influence in the south.
"We are suffering from two occupations -- America and Iran. We have told American officials this and we have met some of them, but they are not listening to us," one sheikh complained. Some tribes were talking about taking up arms against the Islamist parties, but the tribal leaders said they feared this would unleash a bloodbath that would destabilise the south. "The tribes do not want violence ... but at the same time we want to see a change that preserves the rights of all Iraqis, so that we are really free," said one sheikh.
Labels: islamism, militias, Moqtada Al-Sadr, SIIC, southern Iraq, tribal leaders
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Shiite leader in visit to Al Anbar
Politics
(Gulf News) - In a major reconciliatory gesture, a leader from Iraq's largest Shiite party has paid a rare visit to the Sunni Anbar province, delivering a message of unity to tribal shaikhs who have staged a US-backed revolt against Al Qaida militants. The leader of parliament's largest Sunni Arab bloc, Adnan Al Dulaimi, welcomed Ammar Al Hakim's visit to Anbar on Sunday as a "good initiative", saying Shiite-Sunni reconciliation was a goal cherished by his once-dominant Sunni Arab minority.
"This is what we hope, and we pray to Allah for," Al Dulaimi, whose three-party alliance has 44 of parliament's 275 seats, said yesterday. "We pray to God to make our Shiite brothers ... give us our due rights and not monopolise power." Al Hakim's visit to Anbar was the latest sign that key Iraqi politicians may be working toward reconciliation independently of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's government, which has faced criticism for doing little to bring together Iraq's Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis.
Sunni Arab Vice-President Tariq Al Hashemi visited Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite cleric, last month at Najaf south of Baghdad. The visit amounted to an unprecedented Sunni Arab endorsement of Al Sistani's role as the nation's guardian. Al Hashemi's Iraqi Islamic Party also has been distancing itself from militant Sunni Arab groups and has in recent months forged closer ties with Al Hakim's Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, the country's largest Shiite party, and the two major Kurdish parties.
Al Hakim, son and heir apparent of Iraq's top Shiite politician, struck a note of national unity in Anbar. "Iraq does not belong to the Sunnis or the Shiites alone; nor does it belong to the Arabs or the Kurds and Turkomen," Al Hakim told his hosts in the provincial capital Ramadi, about 115km west of Baghdad. "Today, we must stand up and declare that Iraq is for all Iraqis." He stood next to the leader of the Anbar movement, Ahmad Abu Risha.
"This is what we hope, and we pray to Allah for," Al Dulaimi, whose three-party alliance has 44 of parliament's 275 seats, said yesterday. "We pray to God to make our Shiite brothers ... give us our due rights and not monopolise power." Al Hakim's visit to Anbar was the latest sign that key Iraqi politicians may be working toward reconciliation independently of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's government, which has faced criticism for doing little to bring together Iraq's Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis.
Sunni Arab Vice-President Tariq Al Hashemi visited Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite cleric, last month at Najaf south of Baghdad. The visit amounted to an unprecedented Sunni Arab endorsement of Al Sistani's role as the nation's guardian. Al Hashemi's Iraqi Islamic Party also has been distancing itself from militant Sunni Arab groups and has in recent months forged closer ties with Al Hakim's Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, the country's largest Shiite party, and the two major Kurdish parties.
Al Hakim, son and heir apparent of Iraq's top Shiite politician, struck a note of national unity in Anbar. "Iraq does not belong to the Sunnis or the Shiites alone; nor does it belong to the Arabs or the Kurds and Turkomen," Al Hakim told his hosts in the provincial capital Ramadi, about 115km west of Baghdad. "Today, we must stand up and declare that Iraq is for all Iraqis." He stood next to the leader of the Anbar movement, Ahmad Abu Risha.
Labels: Adnan al-Dulaimi, Ahmad Abu Risha, Al Anbar, Ammar al-Hakim, Iraqi Islamic Party, tribal leaders
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Al-Khalis tribal leaders join Diala Rescue Council
Tribal, Security
(Voices of Iraq) - Tribal leaders from three Sunni villages in al-Khalis's neighborhood of al-Mansouriya have joined Diala Rescue Council in an attempt to defeat al-Qaeda, a member of the council's general board, Awwad Najm al-Rubaie, said on Monday.
"Sheikhs and top tribal leaders from the villages of al-Wishah, al-Bazwini and al-Wisi in al-Khalis, (15 km north of Baaquba) decided on Sunday to join Diala Rescue Council to fight al-Qaeda and all takfir (declaring someone an infidel) groups, which hold sway over dozens of villages and cities in the province," al-Rubaie told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
"Some of the reasons that prompted them to take this decision were the transgressions and fatwas issued by the self-styled 'Leaders of the Islamic State,' which coerced girls into marrying al-Qaeda leaders who have Arab and Afghan nationalities…," al-Rubaie explained. Other fatwas permitted the seizure of property of immigrant families, accused a large segment of the Iraqi people of disbelief and allowed the killing of innocent civilians, he added.
Diala Rescue Council, which includes 70 tribal leaders of different sects and 15,000 fighters, announced its readiness to cooperate with the Iraqi security apparatus and join efforts against terrorism. Baaquba, the capital city of Diala province, is located 57 northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
"Sheikhs and top tribal leaders from the villages of al-Wishah, al-Bazwini and al-Wisi in al-Khalis, (15 km north of Baaquba) decided on Sunday to join Diala Rescue Council to fight al-Qaeda and all takfir (declaring someone an infidel) groups, which hold sway over dozens of villages and cities in the province," al-Rubaie told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
"Some of the reasons that prompted them to take this decision were the transgressions and fatwas issued by the self-styled 'Leaders of the Islamic State,' which coerced girls into marrying al-Qaeda leaders who have Arab and Afghan nationalities…," al-Rubaie explained. Other fatwas permitted the seizure of property of immigrant families, accused a large segment of the Iraqi people of disbelief and allowed the killing of innocent civilians, he added.
Diala Rescue Council, which includes 70 tribal leaders of different sects and 15,000 fighters, announced its readiness to cooperate with the Iraqi security apparatus and join efforts against terrorism. Baaquba, the capital city of Diala province, is located 57 northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Labels: Al Qaeda, Al-Khalis, Diala Rescue Council, Diyala, Najm al-Rubaie, tribal leaders
Friday, September 07, 2007
Tribes sabotage Kirkuk pipelines
Oil, Tribal
(IWPR) - Despite the presence of special oil ministry units, pipelines around Kirkuk are destroyed and hundreds of tons of oil stolen every day by tribe members from surrounding villages, such as al-Milih, Wadi Zghetun, al-Muradiyya, al-Saduniyya, al-Kanaina and al-Safra. The "oil protection units" were deployed to guard the pipelines after the government cancelled previous failed agreements with tribal forces to protect them. But in spite of this, oil is stolen from pipelines stretching from the al-Riyadh sub-district, 55 km west of Kirkuk, to the al-Fatha area 90 km to the west.
Tribal sheikhs who profit from the stolen oil are likely to obstruct new measures planned by local authorities, including a special protection force, to stop the sabotage of the pipelines. Locals employed to protect the pipes are often from the same groups as those who are stealing the oil. In the first few years after the fall of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's government, Sunni insurgents - many of whom as former soldiers had guarded oil routes under the old regime - blew up the pipelines to wreak havoc.
Since then, insurgents have realized that stealing oil is also damaging, and is far more profitable than pure destruction. Today, Kirkuk's oil wealth is evaporating. Qais al-Mifraji, a 34-year-old farmer in the village of al-Safra, 63 km west of Kirkuk, describes how the pipelines are destroyed. "The insurgents usually come at night and plant a bomb to detonate the export pipeline," he said. "But if they want to steal, they just break it and fill their tankers. No one can stop them."
The riddled pipes partially explain why four years after the US invasion, Iraq has not been able to match its pre-war crude production level of 2.5 million barrels a day. In 2006, production averaged 2.1 million barrels per day, mostly from oil fields near Basra in the south, which have not suffered the non-stop sabotage taking place in the north. Kirkuk now produces just 180,000 barrels a day. It could produce at least 400,000 more a day which, at current market prices, would net Iraq seven billion US dollars in revenue per year.
Over the second half of last year, one stretch of pipeline connecting Kirkuk with the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan - the main outlet for Iraq's northern oil exports - pumped oil for only 43 days. The rest of the time, the pipeline lay idle, leaking crude through dozens of holes drilled along its 320-km run through the Iraqi desert. Another pipeline has been tapped into 39 times so far this year, according to the state-owned Northern Oil Company, NOC, which operates the Kirkuk field.
Qadir Omer Rahman, director of the oil products distribution department in Kirkuk, said that the 80km-long pipeline from Kirkuk to the refinery in Bayji suffered many attacks."Those who protect and guard the oil pipelines are recruited from the people of the villages through which the pipelines pass," he said. "They are the ones committing these acts of terror and smuggling, with the help of other groups." Unemployment and poor living conditions spurred Ayad Hamid al-Ubaidi from Hawdh village, who is in his thirties, to join the gangs who target pipelines and steal oil. "There is no one who can give us our rights," he said. "We have to use our own hands to obtain our rights."
Rahman estimated that three million liters of oil are lost every month because of sabotage, which he said severely affects the provision of petroleum products to Kirkuk and the Kurdistan region's three northern governorates. Each stage of oil production in the north is hampered by criminal activity. It is not only the oil and its products which are stolen by outsiders. Pumps, transformers, generators and other valuable machinery and spare parts are frequently looted.
Oil company workers are coming increasingly under fire from militias. Pipeline repair crews have been shot at and hit by roadside bombs. Sunni insurgents have been dropping leaflets in Kirkuk warning all government employees, including oil company workers, to quit or to face death. Last summer, Adi al-Qazaz, then NOC's director-general, went to Baghdad to visit the oil ministry. After his meeting, he was kidnapped by gunmen on the street, never to be seen again. While some NOC employees are threatened, others are suspected of cooperating in stealing both crude and refined oil.
Truck drivers, as well as managers of fuel stations, are taking their share of the illegal business, draining supplies for Iraqi citizens who struggle to find cooking oil and fuel. A source in the NOC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that there is a mafia-like group operating inside the company which smuggles large amounts of oil through pipelines, in cooperation with individuals inside the company. "When an explosion occurs in a pipeline and oil leaks from it, the people in charge neglect it, leaving the leak for several days until a large amount of oil has been taken from it," he said.
Much of the smuggled crude oil is sold to merchants in Erbil through local brokers. They meet to do their deals in a restaurant in the sub-district of al-Gwer, 40 km west of Erbil, according to Ahmed al-Jobouri, an oil tanker driver. At small domestic refineries, the crude is transformed into refined fuel and then sold on the black market. Some will then be smuggled across the border. According to the NOC source, "the revenue from oil smuggled into Turkey is used to support the Turkoman Front in Iraq, and revenue from oil smuggled to Syria is used to support the insurgent groups in Iraq".
Fuel is heavily subsidized in Iraq. Petrol stations receive limited supplies and citizens are given vouchers entitling them to buy a certain amount each week at the official low price. But because there is not enough subsidized fuel, most Iraqis end up buying oil products on the black market. A source in the Bayji refinery near Kirkuk, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told IWPR reporters that some officials from the General Company for Oil Products, which is in charge of issuing paperwork for the subsidies, sells authentic as well as false receipts to merchants.The stolen fuel is then smuggled and sold on the black market, either inside Iraq or across the border in Syria or Turkey.
There is also small-scale smuggling. Salah Ali, who has been working as a tanker driver for six months, said receipts are issued at the Bayji refinery for 36,000 liters per tanker, which is their official load. But they are then filled to their full capacity of 40,000 litres, and the additional 4,000 liters are sold on the black market for five times the price of regular fuel. Similar activities go on at the smaller refinery in Kirkuk, said Irfan Kirkukli, the deputy chief of security on the city council. "Several trucks carrying oil products smuggled from Kirkuk have been seized," he said. "Vehicles have been caught smuggling 160 canisters of cooking gas from Kirkuk to Erbil, for example."
Some petrol station owners, he said, sell their share of state-subsidized fuel to black market dealers. "Many such cases have occurred in Kirkuk and legal action was taken against [the culprits]," he said. "The filling stations weren't given [further] allotments and their owners were fined. "To protect the pipelines and prevent illegal smuggling of fuel, several measures are to be implemented. Kirkukli said a special protection force to guard the pipelines will be formed, consisting of members of the Iraqi army, oil protection forces and the tribes from the areas where the pipelines pass through.Officials in charge of particular pipeline sectors will have to pay fines if their stretches are damaged or oil is stolen. Kirkukli also said that funds have been allocated to support oil infrastructure and to build observation towers along the pipelines in western and southern Kirkuk.
Sami Amin Othman, the Kurdish chief of the oil protection force in Kirkuk, has recently hired 290 new security guards whom he plans to deploy along the pipelines. This, however, has already created unrest among the local Sunni Arab chiefs in the area. They seem to be afraid of losing power because the new guards will be paid directly by the government and not contracted through them. Because the people hired to protect the pipelines are often from the same groups that sabotage the pipes, and tribal bonds are often stronger than national loyalty, the illegal drilling is expected to continue. Sheikh Ziyad Hasan, who formerly served as a contractor protecting the pipelines, confirms that people from the area sabotage the pipelines and profit from the oil. Many locals, he said, lack the motivation to prevent thefts. "They believe that this oil serves the Americans and the new government, and that it does not benefit the people," he said.
Labels: Erbil, insurgents, Kirkuk, Northern Oil Company, oil, oil pipelines, sabotage, Sami Amin Othman, tribal leaders, tribes, Turkoman Front
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Tribal leaders, U.S. and Iraqi officials meet in Al Anbar
Politics
(AFP) - Tribal leaders joined Iraqi and US officials on Thursday in talks focused on economic development of Anbar province, three days after US President George W. Bush dropped in to endorse peace initiatives in the restive region. US officials said the one-day Anbar Forum in the provincial capital Ramadi is aimed at giving an economic boost to the western province, where former Sunni insurgents have joined with US forces to fight Al-Qaeda.
Some 3,000 US and Iraqi troops were deployed to secure the governate in the centre of the city where the forum was being held, officials said. Among US officials attending are Democratic Senator Joseph Biden, a 2008 White House contender, who arrived in Iraq earlier in the day, US Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, second in command of US forces in Iraq.
The delegation from Iraq's central government is headed by vice presidents Tareq al-Hashemi and Adel Abdel Mahdi and included deputy prime minister Barham Saleh. Members of the provincial government, including Governor Maamun Sami Rashid, were also among the two dozen or so officials at the meeting, as was Sheikh Sattar Abu Risha and 11 other tribal leaders from the so-called Anbar Awakening Conference.
The group, which comprises Sunni tribes who formed an alliance with American troops to claw back their neighbourhoods from Al-Qaeda's fighters, complains that it is not getting enough backing from Baghdad and that its volunteers are ill-equipped to take on the well-trained extremists. "All we are doing today is very important," Biden said in an address to the gathering.
"You have taken a bold decision in Anbar to fight the forces of destruction and terror ... Unity of Iraq is an Iraqi problem. America wants you to succeed and we will do whatever we can to enable you to succeed," he said. "Iraq's future is in your hands. Only you can determine the future. It's encouraging to see central government assisting you in Anbar. In America we are waiting to see how extensive that cooperation will be," Biden said. "If it is (extensive) you can count on America to stay, if it is not, we can say goodbye now."
Some 3,000 US and Iraqi troops were deployed to secure the governate in the centre of the city where the forum was being held, officials said. Among US officials attending are Democratic Senator Joseph Biden, a 2008 White House contender, who arrived in Iraq earlier in the day, US Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, second in command of US forces in Iraq.
The delegation from Iraq's central government is headed by vice presidents Tareq al-Hashemi and Adel Abdel Mahdi and included deputy prime minister Barham Saleh. Members of the provincial government, including Governor Maamun Sami Rashid, were also among the two dozen or so officials at the meeting, as was Sheikh Sattar Abu Risha and 11 other tribal leaders from the so-called Anbar Awakening Conference.
The group, which comprises Sunni tribes who formed an alliance with American troops to claw back their neighbourhoods from Al-Qaeda's fighters, complains that it is not getting enough backing from Baghdad and that its volunteers are ill-equipped to take on the well-trained extremists. "All we are doing today is very important," Biden said in an address to the gathering.
"You have taken a bold decision in Anbar to fight the forces of destruction and terror ... Unity of Iraq is an Iraqi problem. America wants you to succeed and we will do whatever we can to enable you to succeed," he said. "Iraq's future is in your hands. Only you can determine the future. It's encouraging to see central government assisting you in Anbar. In America we are waiting to see how extensive that cooperation will be," Biden said. "If it is (extensive) you can count on America to stay, if it is not, we can say goodbye now."
Ambassador Crocker and US commander General David Petraeus believed that "if the kind of success we are now seeing (in Anbar) continues, it is possible to maintain the same level of security with fewer American forces," Bush said. Ramadi had until recently been a symbol of the failure of the US military and the Iraqi government to assert their will among the fiercely-independent Sunni tribes living in the deserts west of Baghdad. But since the Anbar Awakening group was formed earlier this year, the tide has turned and a semblance of normality has returned to the streets and market places of Ramadi.
Labels: Al Anbar, Anbar Salvation Council, tribal leaders
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Karbala’s Tribal Sheikhs Hold Security Meeting
Security, Tribal
(Badr Newspaper) - 20 AUG - The Sayid Al Shuhadda Movement held a security meeting in Karbala. Many Karbala tribal sheikhs participated in this meeting. The goal of this meeting was to discuss the security preparations for the Shabbaniya visit.
Major General Salih Khazal, the Karbala Operations Room Chief, attended this meeting. The Major General spoke about the security plan that was created by the Army and the police. He also mentioned that a commando battalion has been deployed to the areas of Ma’amil Al Cement [the cement factory area] and the Sayid Ahmed Bin Hashim area, 80 KM west of Karbala. The tribal sheikhs expressed their full cooperation with the security organizations to protect the visitors of Imam Al Hussein during the Shabbaniya visit. A number of sheikhs have submitted notes to the Karbala operation room chief to increase the security cooperation of the tribes during the visit.
Labels: Imam Al Hussein shrine, Karbala, Sayid Al Shuhadda Movement, Shabbaniya, tribal leaders
Tribal leaders of Baghdad district agree to support ISF
Security, Tribal
(Al-Iraqiyah television) - Staff Lieutenant General Abbud Qanbar, commander of operations for the Baghdad security plan, announced on August 16 that tribal leaders in the Al-Saidiyah district of Baghdad have agreed to support Iraqi security forces in the fight against terrorism, Al-Iraqiyah television reported. Qanbar said the willingness of the tribesmen to cooperate is a concrete step toward bringing security to the area. "When we agree with our kinfolk and brothers, we will isolate terrorism and outlaws," Qanbar told reporters. "Our success lies in the support of our brothers, citizens, and the residents of Baghdad for the [Iraqi] armed forces."
Labels: Al-Saidiyah, Iraqi security forces, Staff Lieutenant General Abbud Qanbar, tribal leaders
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Al Dulaimi Wants To Learn Ramadi Resident’s Opinions About Returning To The Government
Politics
(Azzaman Newspaper) - 7 AUG - Accord Front Chief – Adnan Al Dulaimi has called for Anbar’s residents to submit their “conditions and suggestions” for returning to the government. Yesterday, Al Dulaimi visited Ramadi City and met with a number of citizens, in order to learn their opinions about the Accord Front’s decision to withdraw from the government.
During this meeting, Al Dulaimi said, “The Accord Front calls for you to submit: your suggestions regarding the subject of (the Front’s) returning to the government and your ‘conditions’ which you want the Front to attach to this return. The Prime Minister is working to remove the Accord Front (isolate the front, or remove it from Iraq’s political process). This is what led to the Accord Front’s decision to withdraw from the government. The Front refuses to return to the government, unless we receive our full rights which they (the Al Maliki government) should guarantee.”
This is the first time Al Dulaimi has visited Ramadi since he accepted the position as Chief of the Accord Front. This visit came about due to the Accord Front’s desire to ‘return its people to the Front’ (bring its ‘base’ supporters back into the Accord Front). Ramadi citizens said, “Accord Front has lost many supporters due to the Front joining the political process which resulted in: poor levels of security and public services, increased sectarian problems, and increased displacements.”
During this visit, Al Dulaimi met with: Anbar’s Governor Mahmoun Rashid, (Anbar’s) Police Chief, District Council Members, Tribal Sheikhs, and Anbar Salvation Council Members who are supporting the security forces in the fight against Al Qaeda members in the city (Ramadi). Al Dulaimi visited the cities of Fallujah and Khalidya. He met with a number of former Iraqi Army (Saddam’s Regime) officers. Their meeting included discussions regarding the DeBaathification Law and, how this government has abused/misused this law in order to isolate (Sunni) groups.
During this meeting, Al Dulaimi said, “The Accord Front calls for you to submit: your suggestions regarding the subject of (the Front’s) returning to the government and your ‘conditions’ which you want the Front to attach to this return. The Prime Minister is working to remove the Accord Front (isolate the front, or remove it from Iraq’s political process). This is what led to the Accord Front’s decision to withdraw from the government. The Front refuses to return to the government, unless we receive our full rights which they (the Al Maliki government) should guarantee.”
This is the first time Al Dulaimi has visited Ramadi since he accepted the position as Chief of the Accord Front. This visit came about due to the Accord Front’s desire to ‘return its people to the Front’ (bring its ‘base’ supporters back into the Accord Front). Ramadi citizens said, “Accord Front has lost many supporters due to the Front joining the political process which resulted in: poor levels of security and public services, increased sectarian problems, and increased displacements.”
During this visit, Al Dulaimi met with: Anbar’s Governor Mahmoun Rashid, (Anbar’s) Police Chief, District Council Members, Tribal Sheikhs, and Anbar Salvation Council Members who are supporting the security forces in the fight against Al Qaeda members in the city (Ramadi). Al Dulaimi visited the cities of Fallujah and Khalidya. He met with a number of former Iraqi Army (Saddam’s Regime) officers. Their meeting included discussions regarding the DeBaathification Law and, how this government has abused/misused this law in order to isolate (Sunni) groups.
Labels: Adnan Dulaimi, Al Anbar, Anbar Salvation Council, debaathification, Iraqi Accord Front, Mahmoun Rashid, Ramadi, tribal leaders
Monday, August 06, 2007
Shiites press for autonomy in southern Iraq
Politics
(Christian Science Monitor) - When Najaf unplugged its power station from the national grid last week, it was a sign of provincial dissent over the unequal distribution of electricity. But it also indicates a new assertiveness in the south, as Iraq's regional leaders seek to wrest control from a central government in Baghdad paralyzed by political infighting.
Multiple visions for unifying the county's southern provinces are emerging. The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), one of the most powerful Shiite parties, is leading the charge to form an autonomous "South of Baghdad Region." But 45 southern tribal notables in Najaf last week signed their own pact that envisions creating "the self-rule government of the unified Iraqi south."
Regardless of which southern group wins out, Baghdad faces a formidable challenge that could mean not just the loss of electricity, but revenue from the region's ports and oil fields, and further fracturing along sectarian lines. When Najaf pulled the plug on its electricity from Baghdad, provincial spokesman Ahmed Duaibel said it was because the provincial officials felt Najaf was not getting its fair share of electricity. He says the province is prepared to turn on the power station's remote terminal unit, which normally allows Baghdad to manage the output, if Baghdad addresses provincial grievances.
But one prominent resident who is familiar with the workings of the local authority says the move is part of a larger effort to include Najaf in the "South of Baghdad Region." The other provinces included in the project are Babil, Basra, Dhi Qar, Diwaniyah (also known as Qadisiyah), Karbala, Maysan, Muthana, and Wasit.
In recent weeks, Ammar al-Hakim, the son of SIIC leader Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, has been leading a passionate grassroots campaign to rally support for the project. "I call upon you to be totally prepared from now to form the South of Baghdad Region at the end of the period prescribed by parliament," he said. On July 21, he repeated the plea at another rally in Baghdad.
The national assembly had passed a controversial law in October 2006 outlining the mechanism for establishing regions in Iraq. The law allows for regions to be created starting early April 2008 provided local referendums are held on the issue. The law was opposed by Sunnis and Shiite rivals to SIIC, such as the Fadhila Party and Moqtada al-Sadr's movement, because they said it heralded the fragmentation of Iraq.
Multiple visions for unifying the county's southern provinces are emerging. The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), one of the most powerful Shiite parties, is leading the charge to form an autonomous "South of Baghdad Region." But 45 southern tribal notables in Najaf last week signed their own pact that envisions creating "the self-rule government of the unified Iraqi south."
Regardless of which southern group wins out, Baghdad faces a formidable challenge that could mean not just the loss of electricity, but revenue from the region's ports and oil fields, and further fracturing along sectarian lines. When Najaf pulled the plug on its electricity from Baghdad, provincial spokesman Ahmed Duaibel said it was because the provincial officials felt Najaf was not getting its fair share of electricity. He says the province is prepared to turn on the power station's remote terminal unit, which normally allows Baghdad to manage the output, if Baghdad addresses provincial grievances.
But one prominent resident who is familiar with the workings of the local authority says the move is part of a larger effort to include Najaf in the "South of Baghdad Region." The other provinces included in the project are Babil, Basra, Dhi Qar, Diwaniyah (also known as Qadisiyah), Karbala, Maysan, Muthana, and Wasit.
In recent weeks, Ammar al-Hakim, the son of SIIC leader Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, has been leading a passionate grassroots campaign to rally support for the project. "I call upon you to be totally prepared from now to form the South of Baghdad Region at the end of the period prescribed by parliament," he said. On July 21, he repeated the plea at another rally in Baghdad.
The national assembly had passed a controversial law in October 2006 outlining the mechanism for establishing regions in Iraq. The law allows for regions to be created starting early April 2008 provided local referendums are held on the issue. The law was opposed by Sunnis and Shiite rivals to SIIC, such as the Fadhila Party and Moqtada al-Sadr's movement, because they said it heralded the fragmentation of Iraq.
Under the Iraqi Constitution, regions have been given significant power, including adopting their own constitution; exercising executive, legislative, and judicial authority, organizing and managing internal security forces; and opening offices as part of Iraqi missions abroad. Also, regional laws take precedence over national ones in case of conflict.
The power of regions is currently one of the points of contention in the constitutional amendment process, according to an aide to Sheikh Humam Hamoudi, who heads the constitutional amendment committee in parliament.
An alternative to the plan that SIIC is promoting is the pact from tribal leaders. Leaders from Basra, Dhi Qar, Diwaniyah, Maysan, and Muthana provinces signed a pact in Najaf that envisions creating "the self-rule government of the unified Iraqi south." They even elected a president and announced plans to form a legislative-type body made up of 130 sheikhs and experts.
Sheikh Abdul-Karim al-Mahamadawi, who supports the initiative, says it's an alternative to the federalist or "super-region" project of the SIIC that would give more powers to "real southerners" while maintaining a commitment to a unified Iraq.
Although Najaf and neighboring Karbala Province hold spiritual significance to Shiites, the viability of any regional federation hinges on Basra, which is the economic linchpin with its oil resources and sea access.
The power of regions is currently one of the points of contention in the constitutional amendment process, according to an aide to Sheikh Humam Hamoudi, who heads the constitutional amendment committee in parliament.
An alternative to the plan that SIIC is promoting is the pact from tribal leaders. Leaders from Basra, Dhi Qar, Diwaniyah, Maysan, and Muthana provinces signed a pact in Najaf that envisions creating "the self-rule government of the unified Iraqi south." They even elected a president and announced plans to form a legislative-type body made up of 130 sheikhs and experts.
Sheikh Abdul-Karim al-Mahamadawi, who supports the initiative, says it's an alternative to the federalist or "super-region" project of the SIIC that would give more powers to "real southerners" while maintaining a commitment to a unified Iraq.
Although Najaf and neighboring Karbala Province hold spiritual significance to Shiites, the viability of any regional federation hinges on Basra, which is the economic linchpin with its oil resources and sea access.
Partition is increasingly being advocated by Washington lawmakers and think tanks as the only way to bring peace to Iraq. "There is a massive operation underway to pave the way for the [south of Baghdad] region, but it's being done quietly," says Sheikh Jalaleddin al-Saghir, a senior parliamentarian and Hakim partisan who favors the SIIC plan.
Besides enjoying a close relationship with Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and educating the public about the merits of the "South of Baghdad" project, Sheikh Saghir says his party has already drawn up a detailed blueprint for creating the regional administration and that regular meetings take place now between top political, economic, and security officials from all nine provinces to further the goal.
He says the issue is of "tremendous regional and strategic significance that leaves no room for misadventures."
But the project faces important obstacles from other influential elements within the Shiite community. There is Mr. Sadr who, despite his low profile in recent months and a US-led crackdown against his Mahdi Army militia, continues to enjoy wide support, especially among disaffected segments of Shiite society.
The Fadhila Party says that one of the main reasons why SIIC and its allies "orchestrated a campaign" to squeeze out Basra's governor, Muhammad al-Waeli, is because of his strong opposition to joining the federation. "They simply want to eliminate all those opposing the region project," says Jaber Khalifa, a Fadhila leader.
Besides enjoying a close relationship with Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and educating the public about the merits of the "South of Baghdad" project, Sheikh Saghir says his party has already drawn up a detailed blueprint for creating the regional administration and that regular meetings take place now between top political, economic, and security officials from all nine provinces to further the goal.
He says the issue is of "tremendous regional and strategic significance that leaves no room for misadventures."
But the project faces important obstacles from other influential elements within the Shiite community. There is Mr. Sadr who, despite his low profile in recent months and a US-led crackdown against his Mahdi Army militia, continues to enjoy wide support, especially among disaffected segments of Shiite society.
The Fadhila Party says that one of the main reasons why SIIC and its allies "orchestrated a campaign" to squeeze out Basra's governor, Muhammad al-Waeli, is because of his strong opposition to joining the federation. "They simply want to eliminate all those opposing the region project," says Jaber Khalifa, a Fadhila leader.
Labels: autonomy, Babil, Basra, Dhi Qar, Diwaniyah, Karbala, Maysan, Muthana, Najaf, Sheikh Humam Hamoudi, SIIC, southern Iraq, tribal leaders, Wasit
Friday, July 27, 2007
18 tribal leaders sign peace agreement in Diyala
Tribal, Security
(RFE/RL) - Approximately 75 tribal sheikhs, representing 25 clans and tribes in the Diyala Governorate, gathered in the town of Al-Khalis to discuss security issues and call for unity against Al-Qaeda and other terrorists in the region, the U.S. military said in a statement released July 24. The meeting took place at the Iraqi Army headquarters in Al-Khalis and was attended by several U.S. and Iraqi military officials, including Staff Major General Abd al-Karim, the commander of Iraqi security forces in Diyala Governorate, and Colonel David Sutherland, the commander of coalition forces in Diyala.
The meeting resulted in a peace agreement, signed by 18 tribal leaders, which includes pledges to provide greater cooperation with the Iraqi security forces, to report on improvised explosive devices, and to resolve disputes between tribes through local meetings. In addition, several tribal leaders called for a united effort to combat Al-Qaeda elements. "Our goal is to be united and cooperate [in fighting] any force that wishes to challenge our unity," said one tribal sheikh. "We have to show the people that we are honest and serious about fighting against Al-Qaeda."
Labels: Al-Khalis, Al-Qaeda, Colonel David Sutherland, Diyala, Staff Major General Abd al-Karim, tribal leaders, tribal sheiks
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Syria cancels Iraqi anti-U.S. groups' meeting
Politics, Security
(Reuters) - A large meeting of Iraqi rebel groups that was due to be held in Damascus on Monday was cancelled at the behest of Syria, delegates said. Hundreds of delegates, including members of the banned Iraqi Baath Party, officers in Saddam Hussein's now defunct security forces and anti-U.S. tribal leaders, had gathered in Damascus to work out a joint programme for groups opposed to the continued presence of U.S. forces in Iraq.
"The Syrians gently made it clear that this is not the time for this," a senior Baath Party member told Reuters.
"The Americans and their Iraqi government clients are intensifying their lies that Syria is behind terrorism and attacks on innocent Iraqis, which we all condemn." He was speaking at a meeting to announce the cancellation of the conference at a hotel in the outskirts of Damascus. The decision did not go down well with most participants, especially those who had travelled from Iraq.
Some delegates linked the meeting's cancellation to the visit last week to Syria by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A communique issued after a meeting between Ahmadinejad and President Bashar al-Assad last week said the two leaders were adamant about the need to end U.S. occupation but back the Iraqi government and "condemn terrorism against the Iraqi people and their institutions".
Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi is expected to visit Damascus next month. With a 360-km (225-mile) border with Iraq and some 1.4 million Iraqi refugees in Syria, Damascus has said that a descent into an all out civil war there would have "devastating consequences" for the region.
Thousands of Iraqi Baathists and former security figures have made Syria their base since the 2003 U.S. invasion. The Iraqi government says they play a major role in supporting the insurgency. Washington accuses Syria of letting fighters cross its borders into Iraq, a charge Syria denies.
Damascus says its influence with rebel forces in Iraq could help the United States achieve an "honourable withdrawal" for American troops. "We should not see a contradiction between raising the gun and negotiating an end to the occupation," a tribal leader from Iraq's western Anbar province addressed the delegates. He acknowledged, however, that the rebel groups lack a unified political front.
"The Syrians gently made it clear that this is not the time for this," a senior Baath Party member told Reuters.
"The Americans and their Iraqi government clients are intensifying their lies that Syria is behind terrorism and attacks on innocent Iraqis, which we all condemn." He was speaking at a meeting to announce the cancellation of the conference at a hotel in the outskirts of Damascus. The decision did not go down well with most participants, especially those who had travelled from Iraq.
Some delegates linked the meeting's cancellation to the visit last week to Syria by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. A communique issued after a meeting between Ahmadinejad and President Bashar al-Assad last week said the two leaders were adamant about the need to end U.S. occupation but back the Iraqi government and "condemn terrorism against the Iraqi people and their institutions".
Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi is expected to visit Damascus next month. With a 360-km (225-mile) border with Iraq and some 1.4 million Iraqi refugees in Syria, Damascus has said that a descent into an all out civil war there would have "devastating consequences" for the region.
Thousands of Iraqi Baathists and former security figures have made Syria their base since the 2003 U.S. invasion. The Iraqi government says they play a major role in supporting the insurgency. Washington accuses Syria of letting fighters cross its borders into Iraq, a charge Syria denies.
Damascus says its influence with rebel forces in Iraq could help the United States achieve an "honourable withdrawal" for American troops. "We should not see a contradiction between raising the gun and negotiating an end to the occupation," a tribal leader from Iraq's western Anbar province addressed the delegates. He acknowledged, however, that the rebel groups lack a unified political front.
Labels: Baath Party, former security forces, Syria, tribal leaders
Friday, July 20, 2007
Group splits from Islamic Army in Iraq which highlights importance of working with tribes
Insurgency, Tribal
(RFE/RL) - A group calling itself the Al-Furqan Army has announced its decision to split from the Islamic Army in Iraq, claiming that the Islamic Army has engaged in the political process through talks with the U.S. military, Al-Jazeera television reported on July 18. Islamic Army in Iraq spokesman Ibrahim al-Shammari told Al-Jazeera in an interview that the Al-Furqan Army is "a very small group," adding that the split came after the Al-Furqan Army adopted "policies that go against the Islamic Army's" stance.
Despite the apparent tensions, al-Shammari expressed disappointment over the split, saying: "We wish that the number of mujahedin increase, but not under pseudonyms. Separation is not the character of Islamic action." Al-Shammari also denied that the Islamic Army in Iraq engaged in any talks with the U.S. military. He said the army's position that the Iraqi people are free to choose whether or not to participate in the political process through the Iraqi Accordance Front is well-known. That position, he maintained, does not conflict with the group's determination to fight U.S. and Iraqi forces.
The Islamic Army in Iraq's online bimonthly magazine, "Al-Fursan" (The Knights), noted in its July issue, posted on the Internet on July 17, that the Jihad and Reform Front will work to establish better relations with tribal leaders. The front was formed in May by brigades from the Islamic Army in Iraq, the Mujahedin Army, and the Ansar Al-Sunnah Army.
An unidentified editor wrote in the magazine that establishing better relations with the tribes is a "key priority" of the front, and should be handled carefully. The writer stressed the importance of the tribes in sheltering insurgents. He criticized the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq for harming relations between insurgents and tribes, saying the Islamic State's reckless behavior has prompted some tribes to begin working with U.S. and Iraqi forces to fight the insurgency.
Labels: Al-Furqan Army, Al-Fursan, Ansar al-Sunnah, Ibrahim al-Shammari, Iraqi Accordance Front, Islamic Army in Iraq, Jihad and Reform Front, Mujahideen Army, tribal leaders, U.S. military
Al-Maliki meets with wasit tribal leaders
Politics, Security, Tribal
(RFE/RL) - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki met with tribal leaders from the central Wasit Governorate in Baghdad on July 18, state-run Al-Iraqiyah television reported. Al-Maliki praised the leadership of the tribes in Wasit, saying their actions should serve as a model for a peaceful, cooperative, and stable society. He told tribal leaders that it is necessary to mobilize public support against terrorism, adding that the key to mobilizing public support is in the hands of scholars, tribal, and civil society leaders.
Labels: Nouri Al-Maliki, tribal leaders, Wasit
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Anbar tribes and politicians blame al-Maliki's govt for death of tribal leaders
Tribal, Security
(Azzaman) - There is fury and anger in the rebellious Province of Anbar where tribes and politicians blame the government of Nouri al-Maliki for the killing of five of the province’s most senior tribal chiefs. Five sheiks were among 12 people killed when an explosion ripped through the conference hall where they were to meet to explore ways of reinstating stability in the violent province.
The government blamed a suicide bomber but the power of the explosion and the collapse of the ceiling as well as tight security at one of Baghdad’s most fortified and guarded hotels gives the government’s version little credence. The Sunni sheiks had traveled to Baghdad to attend a conference at the hotel Mansour Melia to meet with Shiite counterparts on ways to stem al-Qaeda influence in Iraq.
The early afternoon attack was of a force which experts say was impossible to have been caused by a suicide bomber. Maliki had publicly criticized attempts to arm the tribes in their struggle against al-Qaeda elements in their areas. Anbar is an al-Qaeda hotbed where the group is almost in total control of large swathes of the country’s largest province.
Repeated U.S. military offensives have failed to dislodge the group whose fighters have inflicted heavy losses on U.S. troops and armor. Maliki’s government and U.S. officials have blamed al-Qaeda but the group which usually brags about its operations has yet to issue a statement on the explosion. The bombing is a severe blow to U.S. efforts and its emerging alliance between Sunni tribal leaders and the country’s Shiite majority.
The government blamed a suicide bomber but the power of the explosion and the collapse of the ceiling as well as tight security at one of Baghdad’s most fortified and guarded hotels gives the government’s version little credence. The Sunni sheiks had traveled to Baghdad to attend a conference at the hotel Mansour Melia to meet with Shiite counterparts on ways to stem al-Qaeda influence in Iraq.
The early afternoon attack was of a force which experts say was impossible to have been caused by a suicide bomber. Maliki had publicly criticized attempts to arm the tribes in their struggle against al-Qaeda elements in their areas. Anbar is an al-Qaeda hotbed where the group is almost in total control of large swathes of the country’s largest province.
Repeated U.S. military offensives have failed to dislodge the group whose fighters have inflicted heavy losses on U.S. troops and armor. Maliki’s government and U.S. officials have blamed al-Qaeda but the group which usually brags about its operations has yet to issue a statement on the explosion. The bombing is a severe blow to U.S. efforts and its emerging alliance between Sunni tribal leaders and the country’s Shiite majority.
Labels: Al Anbar, Mansour Hotel, Nouri Al-Maliki, tribal leaders
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Maysan Sheikhs refuse to arm their tribes
Tribal, Security
(Al-Sabaah) - The Sheikhs of Mayssan province have rejected the resolution of theUS forces to arm tribes' local citizens in the province. In a statement released by NANA, the Secretary-general of the Islamic Movement in Mayssan province, Hassan Ali Maz'al said that a tribal conference which had been held in Amara, attended by political and national figures in Amara, reached several important recommendations, the most important being that arms must be in the hand of the government only.
Labels: Hassan Ali Maz'al, Islamic Movement in Mayssan, Maysan, tribal leaders
Monday, June 25, 2007
U.S. deal with tribal leaders to protect power grids unsuccessful
Security, Tribal
(AP) - Contracts with tribal chiefs to protect Iraq's valuable electricity grids have not paid off, according to U.S. auditors. The investigative arm of Congress updated a report originally released last month so it could provide a more accurate estimate on the number of attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces. The estimated number of attacks in April were adjusted from 4,500 to 4,900, the Government Accountability Office said in the revised report, released Friday.
Overall, the U.S. has spent about $5.1 billion to rebuild Iraq's oil and electricity sectors from the budget years 2003 through 2006. The U.S. also has spent $3.8 billion in Iraqi funds. Auditors said billions of dollars more will be needed to rebuild both sectors. Sabotage is driving much of the spending.
Iraq's Ministry of Electricity has contracted with tribal sheiks to protect the electrical transmission lines running through their areas and pays them about $60 to $100 per kilometer, according to the report. Yet the tactic is not working, auditors said. The report, citing U.S. and U.N. officials, said "some tribes that were paid to protect transmission lines also sold materials from the downed lines and extracted tariffs for access to repair the lines."
The tribes wield considerable power in parts of Iraq. They share a mixture of ancestry, geography and a strict social code that demands allegiance between members. Military commanders have credited new working relationships with tribes in driving down the number of attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces in some provinces.
The auditors said the U.S. government has developed several initiatives that will provide better protection, namely fortifying structures so that attacks cause less damage. The U.S. has trained security forces and paired them with coalition partners, but that program has had its share of problems.
Overall, the U.S. has spent about $5.1 billion to rebuild Iraq's oil and electricity sectors from the budget years 2003 through 2006. The U.S. also has spent $3.8 billion in Iraqi funds. Auditors said billions of dollars more will be needed to rebuild both sectors. Sabotage is driving much of the spending.
Iraq's Ministry of Electricity has contracted with tribal sheiks to protect the electrical transmission lines running through their areas and pays them about $60 to $100 per kilometer, according to the report. Yet the tactic is not working, auditors said. The report, citing U.S. and U.N. officials, said "some tribes that were paid to protect transmission lines also sold materials from the downed lines and extracted tariffs for access to repair the lines."
The tribes wield considerable power in parts of Iraq. They share a mixture of ancestry, geography and a strict social code that demands allegiance between members. Military commanders have credited new working relationships with tribes in driving down the number of attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces in some provinces.
The auditors said the U.S. government has developed several initiatives that will provide better protection, namely fortifying structures so that attacks cause less damage. The U.S. has trained security forces and paired them with coalition partners, but that program has had its share of problems.
Labels: electricity grids, tribal leaders, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Friday, June 22, 2007
Al-Maliki orders the arrest of tribal leaders
Security, Tribal
(Al Hayat) - "Al-Hayat" reported on June 20 that according to informed security sources, Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki has ordered the arrest of several tribal leaders and former Ba'athist officers in the Iraqi military who were based in the Dhi Qar Governorate for allegedly conspiring with the intelligence service of an Arab country.
One of the sources said that the men were arrested "because of their proven relationship with the intelligence service of an Arab country and for securing moral, material, and logistical support for armed groups that are active in southern Iraq."
None of the sources named the Arab country in question, but several indicated that al-Maliki has sent a "special force" to detain the men and return them to Baghdad for questioning. The alleged leader of the group was "a warrant officer in the former [Iraqi] army" who "was in contact with former Ba'athist leaders in the south and armed groups that are active there."
COMMENT: A few weeks ago, al-Maliki made a statement saying that anyone caught conspiring with other Arab countries against Iraq would be dealt with harshly. He added that he already knew of some suspects. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Baathists, Dhi Qar, tribal leaders
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
400 tribal chiefs meet in Kut to sign security agreement
Security, Tribal
(Azzaman) - Tribal chiefs in the southern Province of Wasit have signed a pact under which they have pledged to work for reinstating the rule of law in their areas. The tribes in the Province of Wasit of which the city of Kut is the capital have traditionally exercised a lot of authority in their areas. In early 20th century they repelled a British attack on their town. Thousands of British troops were killed and captured.
The tribal leaders were brought together amid worsening security in the province. A provincial official said about 400 tribal chiefs attended the meeting last week in which they signed the agreement. “They (tribal leaders) signed an honor pact which states their full support for the rule of law and the exertion of all efforts to reactivate the file of (Iraqi) prisoners in jails led by multinational forces,” said Ali Hameed, the province’s information officer.
Thousands of Iraqis languish in U.S. jails without trial. The detainees are taken from their families and it takes a lot of efforts and time before they are told about their whereabouts. The security forces in Wasit have launched a campaign to bring stability to the province where armed groups have recently increased their attacks and activities. Such tribal meetings have become common in Iraq, which usually end up with the signing of a pact. But the level of violence has nonetheless been rising as armed groups often attack the tribes opposing their authority.
The tribal leaders were brought together amid worsening security in the province. A provincial official said about 400 tribal chiefs attended the meeting last week in which they signed the agreement. “They (tribal leaders) signed an honor pact which states their full support for the rule of law and the exertion of all efforts to reactivate the file of (Iraqi) prisoners in jails led by multinational forces,” said Ali Hameed, the province’s information officer.
Thousands of Iraqis languish in U.S. jails without trial. The detainees are taken from their families and it takes a lot of efforts and time before they are told about their whereabouts. The security forces in Wasit have launched a campaign to bring stability to the province where armed groups have recently increased their attacks and activities. Such tribal meetings have become common in Iraq, which usually end up with the signing of a pact. But the level of violence has nonetheless been rising as armed groups often attack the tribes opposing their authority.
Labels: honour pact, tribal leaders, Wasit
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Tribal leaders gunned down in Mosul
Security, Tribal
(Azzaman) - Three tribal leaders in the northern city of Mosul have been gunned down by unidentified assailants. Attacks on tribal chiefs in Iraq, particularly in the Sunni-dominated areas of central and northern Iraq have increased recently. The attacks come following reports that certain tribes were no longer willing to provide refuge for al-Qaeda-linked insurgents and some had mobilized their armed men to have them flushed from their areas.
But it seems the group is too strong to be beaten by Iraqi tribes and its members are reported to be murdering the chiefs of any tribe standing against them. In the northern city of Mosul, three leaders of major tribes have been killed. The first, Shaikh Khanim Ibrahim al-Sabaawi, was leader of the powerful al-Sabaawi tribe. Earlier unidentified gunmen had killed Khanim al-Hadi of al-Aqidat tribe and Ghazi al-Hanash of Tai tribe.
Reports that they were liquidated by al-Qaeda still need to be independently verified but eyewitnesses say the three chiefs were shot and killed by unknown assailants.
But it seems the group is too strong to be beaten by Iraqi tribes and its members are reported to be murdering the chiefs of any tribe standing against them. In the northern city of Mosul, three leaders of major tribes have been killed. The first, Shaikh Khanim Ibrahim al-Sabaawi, was leader of the powerful al-Sabaawi tribe. Earlier unidentified gunmen had killed Khanim al-Hadi of al-Aqidat tribe and Ghazi al-Hanash of Tai tribe.
Reports that they were liquidated by al-Qaeda still need to be independently verified but eyewitnesses say the three chiefs were shot and killed by unknown assailants.
Meantime, pressure on Iraqi Christians in Mosul is mounting with armed groups warning that they will either turn to Islam or leave. Mosul is one of Iraq’s main Christian centers. Many of the city’s numerous churches and monasteries have been abandoned with the largest portion of the nearly 150,000-Christian community forced to flee. Early this week, a priest and three deacons were killed as they left their church.
Labels: al-Aqidat tribe, al-Sabaawi tribe, Ghazi al-Hanash, Iraqi Christians, Khanim al-Hadi, Mosul, Shaikh Khanim Ibrahim al-Sabaawi, Tai tribe, tribal leaders
