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19 dead in violent attacks near Baghdad
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-03 21:09
Hundreds have been killed in the violence unleashed by the Feb. 22 bombing of
a revered Shiite shrine in the central city of Samarra and reprisal attacks
against Sunni mosques. An extraordinary daytime curfew and vehicle restrictions
last weekend helped curb the worst of the sectarian killing, but attacks
continued this week.
South of Baghdad, a mortar shell slammed into a market Friday in Mahmoudiya,
killing one person and injuring another, police Capt. Rasheed al-Samaraie said.
And police found two more handcuffed, blindfolded, bullet-riddled bodies in
Iskandariyah, said Capt. Muthana
The recent surge of violence has complicated negotiations for a new,
broad-based government after December parliamentary elections. U.S. officials
consider an inclusive government essential if they are to start withdrawing
troops before the end of the year.
Sunni Arabs walked out of the talks last week, accusing the Shiite-led
government and security forces of standing by as Sunni mosques were attacked. On
Thursday, the main Sunni bloc joined Kurdish and secular parties in demanding
that the dominant Shiite alliance withdraw its nomination of al-Jaafari for
another term as prime minister, threatening the country with new political
turmoil.
Al-Jaafari won the nomination by a single vote during an election Feb. 12
among Shiite lawmakers who won seats in the Dec. 15 parliamentary election. He
defeated Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi in large part because of al-Sadr's
support.
The idea of a prime minister who owes his position to the young radical has
alarmed not only Sunni Arabs and Kurds, but also several key figures in the
Shiite alliance. Abdul-Mahdi was the candidate of Shiite Alliance leader
Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, who often is at odds with al-Sadr.
But the alliance does not know how to resolve the problem without risking a
huge fight with al-Sadr, who is revered among impoverished Shiite militias.
The move against al-Jaafari drew sharp opposition from al-Sadr.
"We will not abandon al-Jaafari," said a close aide to the firebrand Shiite
cleric. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature
of the dispute.
Reda Jawad Taqi, an al-Hakim aide, said representatives of the largest
parliamentary bloc would meet al-Jaafari opponents to "learn what is behind
their position. We will not reject their demand (to meet). Everything is
negotiable."
The Shiites won 130 of Parliament's 275 seats in December elections, giving
them the largest bloc of lawmakers and the first chance to form a government 錕斤拷
but not enough to govern without partners.
Also Thursday, gunmen attacked the disabled car of Iraq's top Sunni
politician, Adnan al-Dulaimi, killing one bodyguard and wounding five after
al-Dulaimi sped away in another vehicle. It was not clear whether the assault
was an assassination attempt, and the Sunni leader refused to blame anyone.
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