Maliki Orders Sudden End To All Hostilities Against Shiite Militias - Iraq Media Version
Related: AP Version
Voices Of Iraq:
Baghdad, Apr 4, (VOI) – Iraqi Prime Minister ordered an end to arrest raids in all areas to give a chance to gunmen to lay down their arms hours before the Sadrists, or Iraqis loyal to Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr, plans to go on a sit-in after the Friday prayers, according to an Iraqi cabinet statement.
“Maliki instructed to stop detention raids and give a chance to repentant gunmen to lay down their arms in all Iraqi areas,” read the statement received by Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).
“The premier also ordered to have the families that left their residential areas in all provinces due to acts of violence back home and grant financial assistance to the families of martyrs and the wounded in military operations.”
The government’s statement came after a media source in Sadr’s office said “a peaceful sit-in would be staged on Friday to demand cessation of random detentions and escalations against the Sadrists.”
The announcement followed threats by Sadrist MP Bahaa al-Aaraji to enter into “a decisive battle against the government of Nouri al-Maliki if it failed to meet the items brokered by the parliamentary committee set up to carry out Sadr’s initiative to end armed activities.”
“Maliki wants escalations while we see appeasement,” said Aaraji.
Sadr had announced in a statement on Sunday that he would “disown anyone carrying arms and targeting government and service facilities or parties’ offices,” ordering his followers to end all armed activities in Basra and other provinces.
Sadr had asked the government in his statement to “stop random illegal detention raids and release all non-convicted detainees, particularly those belonging to the Sadrist bloc,” also urging “cooperation with the government security agencies.”
The Iraqi interior ministry had said on Monday that some 210 gunmen were killed, 600 others wounded and 155 captured since the beginning of Operation Saulat al-Forsan (Knights’ Assault) in Basra, Iraq’s second largest city and oil hub, last week.
Sadr thanked his followers on Tuesday for their “patience, obedience and defense of the lands and the people,” urging more efforts to fight the “bigger enemy”.
“Thanks are coming from Allah, not me, for the hardships you faced, and for your patience, obedience, cooperation and defense of your lands, people and honor,” Sadr said in his hand-written statement received by VOI.
“Blessed be the mujahideen (holy warriors) who made the occupiers as their enemies and the people as their friends,” he said, calling for mustering efforts to fight the “bigger enemy,” in reference to the U.S. forces in Iraq.
The capital and other southern Iraqi cities, including Basra, 590 km south of Baghdad, were gripped by fierce clashes a week ago between government forces and cleric Sadr’s Mahdi Army militias, hours after Maliki declared Operation Saulat al-Forsan, which he said aimed at eliminating armed groups in the oil-rich port city.
The Sadrists occupy 30 out of a total 275 seats in the Iraqi parliament. The bloc is the fourth largest after the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition (UIC), the Kurdistan Coalition (KC) and the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF).
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This war has not democratized Iraq but instead allowed it to factionalize along sectarian lines. The local government in Iraq is weaker than our Confederation Congress following the Revolution. Without central authority this war is lost.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:15 amDebka-Net-Weekly, the subscription service of Debka,
April 4th, 2008 at 5:27 amcontinues to insist that the confusion surrounding the latest
Basra battles is the result of a secret deal made between
Bush/Rice and Tehran, to wit, allow the USA to be seen to
pacify Iraq and we’ll go easily on you for the remainder of
our time in office.
I have no idea, whatsoever, if this is true. I have found Debka
to be about 80% reliable in the past, and sometimes it does seem
as if President Bush has lost his nerve. Dunno.
If this is true, then it is a fool’s bargain. It has some validity
if the gamble is that in order to see off a Hussein victory in the
election, we give a TEMPORARY advantage to Iran. That is such a
high stakes bet the farm at the craps table gamble, that I doubt
most would agree to it. If it fails? We end up with a nuclear
armed Iran, and that means a nuclear armed Al-qaeda and a muslim
as President of the USA. In that case we are seriously into
“save yourselves” territory, by which I mean if you or your
family lives in NYC or DC or SF or any other big water accessible
city, you need to get out, move out, and stay out.
I am hoping this is just wrong. Please pay attention.
Meanwhile, in the real world, operation knights charge continues.
[[ISF kill 7 criminal members, detain 16 in 3 separate operations in Basra
Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO
BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces, advised by U.S. Special Forces, killed seven criminal members and detained 16 others during three separate operations in Basra directed by the Government of Iraq April 3.
April 4th, 2008 at 8:11 amIraqi Special Operations Forces captured a suspected Special Groups leader who has been rallying criminal members in Basra to fight against Coalition forces.
Intelligence reports have linked the man to the kidnapping and murder of Iraqi Army and ISOF soldiers. He is also believed to be involved in oil smuggling and foreign fighter networks.
During the operation, ISOF received heavy small-arms fire and two Coalition force vehicles struck improvised explosive devices. One IED temporarily disabled a vehicle while the other IED was ineffective. ISOF killed five armed fighters and detained 10 others during the operation.
Hillah Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics team conducted an operation to deny insurgent operations in Basra. During the operation, the team came under small-arms attack and returned fire while a Coalition force aircraft provided close-air support. Two armed individuals who were firing on ISWAT were killed. Three others we detained.
In a third operation in Basra, an Iraqi Emergency Response Unit captured two suspected members of a criminal cell linked to an ambush attempt against U.S. SF soldiers April 2. Three other suspects are being held for further questioning. ]]
“the opportunity to lay down arms” is of course in reference to the 72-hr. deadline. Sounds quite plausible to me. The proof will come in watching what happens as it expires. My money is on more militia-cleansing. I think the IA is feeling pretty good about how things are going.
April 4th, 2008 at 9:19 amRemember ONE key element of Islam…
Offer your enemy’s a chance to redeem themselves…
Offer them a chance to “Change” and follow the right path…
April 4th, 2008 at 9:24 am“The premier also ordered to have the families that left their residential areas in all provinces due to acts of violence back home and grant financial assistance to the families of martyrs and the wounded in military operations.”
umm is that money going to families of dead Mahdi army forces or Iraqi Army forces?
April 4th, 2008 at 12:32 pmwhere in the hell did the dude in the orange shirt get an M4/M203??? I realize we are supplying the IA with weapons and equiptment;actually the Iraqi government has placed a LARGE order for American military equipment. We can’t tell if he is IA or Mahdi piglet. If he is a piglet then,did he obtain it from a deceased Iraqi or American???
April 4th, 2008 at 4:36 pm