Region | Iraq
Fears of Iran role in southern Iraq after US-British pullout
The southern governorates of Thi-Qar and Misan, where majority of the population are Shiites, are preparing for complete security handover from British forces in the coming few days, Iraqi officials said.
- By Basil Adas, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 September 5, 2006
Baghdad: The southern governorates of Thi-Qar and Misan, where majority of the population are Shiites, are preparing for complete security handover from British forces in the coming few days, Iraqi officials said.
Meanwhile, in political speeches, religious Shiite leaders have demanded all southern governorates to be put under the direct responsibility of the Iraqi government.
Muwafak Al Rubaei, the National Security Advisor, revealed in press statements that US-British withdrawal plan from nine southern Iraqi governorates is ready for implementation. He also said that the complete security portfolio is going to be handed over to the Iraqi forces soon.
However, Al Rubaei's words were received with scepticism after armed clashes in Diwaniya southern governorate between Iraqi army forces and Al Mehdi army armed militias took place lately.
"Interventions are carried out by Diwaniya's governorate council. A council delegation has in fact left for Najaf to meet with Al Mehdi army leader, Moqtada Al Sadr to settle the issue," said Razaq Al Nadawi, the head of Al Sadr's office in Diwaniya told Gulf News.
Meanwhile, reports said Al Maliki's talks with the Americans and British concerning their withdrawal from southern Iraqi governorates, is facing serious problems.
The Iraqi army has been unable to confront Shiite armed militias. In the event of the US-British army withdrawal, a void would be created, opening the doors to Iran to extend its influence in Iraqi governorates of the south, the reports noted.
A high-level political debate is going on inside the Supreme Islamic Revolutionary Council on the US-British withdrawal from southern Iraq. The feeling is that the nine governorates will make up the southern-middle province.
But Adnan Al Dulaimi, the chairman of the Sunni Al Tawafuq front, warned that the US-British withdrawal from the south would turn Al Mehdi militia to a state-like entity, defying Baghdad's government. Al Dulaimi also foresaw that the armed popular committees will be a cover for the Al Mehdi army.
Hassan Hassan Abtan, Deputy Najaf governor stressed in a statement to Gulf News that "the popular committees to be set up for the protection of residential areas will not be armed".
"These committees will not be armed brigades for this party or that, and its members will be athletes," he added.
The disarmament of Al Mehdi army has become a big challenge for the Al Maliki government. There have been violent political debates in the Shiite coalition (the biggest inside the Iraqi parliament) over the appropriate way to disband Al Mehdi army and localise security issues in areas where the Al Mehdi army is influential.
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