Region | Iraq
Shiite awakening councils set up to fight militia
In the same way that awakening councils in Sunni cities have declared war against Al Qaida, some political elements in Shiite cities have established awakening councils to address militia elements and the growing Iranian influence, Iraqi politicians said.
- By Basil Adas, Correspondent
- Published: 23:30 December 18, 2007
Baghdad: In the same way that awakening councils in Sunni cities have declared war against Al Qaida, some political elements in Shiite cities have established awakening councils to address militia elements and the growing Iranian influence, Iraqi politicians said.
The new development has sparked anger in the Iraqi government and the Shiite coalition led by Abdul Aziz Al Hakim. Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki gave orders to arrest the awakening councils' elements in Najaf, Karbala and Basra, they added.
"The substantive reason for establishing Shiite awakening councils is because the armed militia's activity is still strong as well as the Iranian elements activity in southern cities. This is coupled with the fact the Iraqi government is not taking any measures to address this.
"Most Iraqi parties, that is the Dawa Party led by Al Maliki and the Islamic Supreme Council led by Al Hakim, are aware of the situation. Thus we insist on forming awakening councils to support security in the region," Salman Al Tae, an awakening activist in Najaf, told Gulf News.
Coordinate
A few days ago, Arabic clans in Shiite southern provinces announced their support in forming Shiite awakening councils just like the Sunni councils did.
The clan also decided to coordinate with the Sunni awakening councils to re-correct the security and political situation in Iraq after years of instability.
"The current Iraqi government needs the clans' help to impose law and security especially in southern Shiite cities which will take over the security file from the multinational forces in the upcoming months.
" The Prime Minister should admit his government is unable to control the security situation without the help of Shiite awakening forces.
"I affirm the government is unable to control Iraq's borders with Iran or stop the infiltration of armed men and weapons," Hussain Mahud, a Shiite tribal figure, told Gulf News.
Meanwhile, sources in the Dawa Party accused former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi of supporting Shiite awakening councils.
Rashid Al Saidi, a member of the Dawa Party, told Gulf News: "The Iraqi government holds information that accuses Allawi and the Muslim Scholars' Association, led by Harith Al Dharii, of being behind forming and funding the Shiite awakening councils, ultimately the Iraqi government can prosecute any member of the Shiite awakening councils and charge them with destabilising the security situation".
The Shiite coalition leader Al Hakim, Al Maliki and some coalition leaders have intensified their meetings with Iraqi chieftains to prevent clans from responding to the Shiite awakening councils.
Political sources in the Iraqi government revealed that Al Hakim promised Arab Shiite clans they would recruit thousands of their sons in the Iraqi security forces and in government institutions, a move designed to reduce the clans' interaction with the awakening councils that is growing remarkably fast.
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