Apprehensions about security pact aired by Iraqi political leaders; Bush: US respects Iraq’s sovereignty; Crackdown in Amara launched; Deadly suicide attack in Baghdad
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Whatsapp
  • Linkedin
  • Print

    • Iraqi political leaders continued to express apprehensions about concluding the security pact with the US ahead of the July 31 deadline. Among provisions being negotiated to overcome their difficulties included joint Iraqi-American committees to approve American security operations, allowing American control of Iraqi airspace due to lack of sufficient Iraqi capabilities, joint commissions to probe Iraqi detainees, among other measures1. US President George Bush meanwhile, in a meeting with visiting Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshayr Zebari on June 18 expressed US “respect for Iraq's sovereignty and the will of its people” and stated that he understood Iraqi concerns over the military pact2.

    The Iraqi Army meanwhile began a fresh crackdown in the southern province of Maysan bordering Iran against Shiite militias after the deadline for laying down of arms expired on June 18. US and Iraqi officials have been charging that the militants were getting material and other support from across the border. Iran however condemned these charges and stated that reports suggesting Tehran was helping the militants groups were "desperate attempts to sow the seed of discord between Iran and Iraq" and to "justify its occupation of the country3." The crackdown in the province and its capital Amara follows operations launched in Basra, Sadr City, and Mosul.

    In other developments, a deadly suicide attack in a predominantly Shiite neighbourhood of Baghdad on June 17 killed over 60 people and injured more than 70. The US military blamed the attack on ‘special groups’ backed by Iran, specifically naming Iranian-linked Shiite leader Haydar Mehdi Khadum al-Fawadi as responsible as an attempt to incite Shiite violence against Sunnis4.

    Top