Update From Iraq The Model

[Annie]

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/2006/02/curfew-extended-in-baghdad-and-three.html

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Curfew extended in Baghdad and three other provinces.
The defense minister in a press conference currently on Iraqi TV gave statistics to correct what he described as "exaggerated media reports" about civilian casualties and attacks on mosques since the attack on the Samarra shrine:


Mosques attacked/shot at without damage: 21 not 51
Moderately damaged: 6 not 23
Mosques destroyed totally: 1 not 3
Mosques occupied by militias: 1 not 2 (evacuated later).
Civilians killed: 119 not 183

It was also announced that day-time curfew in Baghdad and three other provinces (Salahiddin, Diyala and Babil) will continue for another two days.

More from the press conference:

In the same press conference, the interior minister said "we are not going to show tolerance towards those who cause violence anymore, those who felt like doing something have done what they done but we will accept no more of this" obviously referring to those who let their anger push them to violence.

The defense minister added that they are working in the government on activating the counter-terrorism laws which includes "arresting anyone who's found guilty of provoking violence".
And added "We have put the armored units of the Iraqi army on high alert and these units (one division+) will be deployed to the streets one we see a real need for that".


More updates:

-Head of the Accord Front, Adnan al-Dulaimi says the government should be stricter in enforcing the law and suggests prolonging the curfew as the best measure to control the situation.
Al-Dulaimi also asked the Shia clergy to restrain their followers and called on the Sunni to remain calm and refrain from violence.

-PM Jafari orders the security forces to enforce a ban on public carrying of arms by unauthorized personnel.

-Study in schools and universities will be suspended until March 5th.

-Improvised barricades can be seen in a number of Baghdad neighborhoods (I've seen some in my neighborhood too) to stop outsiders from entering these neighborhoods.

-An advisory council has been formed from leaders of political blocs and top Iraqi figures to help the executive authority in containing the crisis.

-Sistani calls on tribes to protect the shrines in a meeting with tribal leaders of Najaf.

-The Iraqi army's armored division prepares for deployment and performs successful maneuvers with live monition for the first time.

-At least one Sunni mosque was attacked in Zayona district of Baghdad this afternoon and 5 worshippers killed in the attack while two other small shrines were attacked in Tuz Khurmato and Mada'in.
There were also rumors about an attack on the Sunni's most sacred shrine of Abu Haneefa, Zeyad has a first hand account on this one.

-The Sadr trend holds two meetings with Sunni leaders; one on the clerical level with the Association of Muslim Scholars and the other on the political level with the Accord Front.
A couple of joint press releases were made after the meetings in which the two parties made calls for unity among Iraqis and condemned all kinds of attacks on mosques and civilians.
In both cases the US and Iraqi authorities were blamed for the escalating situation.
Ironically, these are the very two factions believed responsible for the greatest deal of the violence in the past few days!

-According to Naseer al-Aani, spokesman of the Accord Front, the Front is now ready to consider resuming the negotiations for the new government after the government showed "good signs of cooperation" regarding the demands of the Front.


It is hoped that this step will help relieve the stressful condition but of course this requires that all the concerned parties commit to their promises.

Posted by Omar @ 15:43

 

[Annie]

http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/archives/2006_02_01_healingiraq_archive.html#114089110528373659

Pics at site:

Saturday, February 25, 2006
Curfew Extended, Situation Still Tense
The daytime curfew in the capital, and surrounding governorates of Salah Al-Din, Diyala and Babel has been extended to Monday morning, as was announced during a live press conference for the ministers of Defense and Interior today.

Both ministers downplayed the significance of the violence over the last three days. Interior minister, Baqir Solagh described the armed demonstrations and mob attacks as 'natural' reactions to 'let off steam' building up by the Shia masses over the last two years. The Defense minister, Sa'doun Al-Dulaimi released some numbers on the attacks against Sunni mosques and civilians:

"Out of a total of 51 mosques reported to be attacked by small fire arms and RPGs, only 21 mosques were verified by our units to have been attacked. 23 mosques were reported to have been badly damaged or burned down, but only 6 were verified. Only one mosque was verified to have been occupied, and it was evacuated later today. 183 civilians were reported to be killed in the violence, but the verified number is actually 119."

The minister went on to explain that most of the 'attacks' were actually drive-by shootings or rocket-propelled grenades from a distance. He also mentioned that a mosque cannot really be occupied by anyone, since they are 'houses of Allah' and were open to all Muslims, including, I assume, armed gangs. I can only guess this means none of the attackers will be apprehended or arrested.

However, both ministers had a strong warning for Iraqi media outlets that "tend to exaggerate the news, or to report unverified attacks and incidents," threatening extreme punishment against them. He did not mention Iraqi bloggers in name though, so it probably means we are exempt from punishment.

The Defense minister strongly reminds me of an old Iraqi information minister who once said "I have detailed information about the situation... which completely proves that what they allege are illusions... They lie every day."

Personally, I'm not sure which is better. Should we all stay quiet and pretend things are 'not that bad' for fear of exaggerating, or blowing things out of proportion, or should we just continue to report what we see and hear around us?

***

In Karbala, a remote controlled car bomb explosion killed 4 civilians and injured 10 close to a popular market, according to police officials. A suspect was arrested at the scene with no further details.

In Buhriz, south of Ba'quba, gunmen broke into a Shi'ite residence and killed 13 men from one family, Ba'quba police said.

Two rockets were fired at a Shi'ite mosque in Tuz Khurmatu, a Shi'ite Turkomen town northeast of Baghdad.

The Salman Al-Farisi shrine in Madain, southeast of Baghdad, still occupied by Interior ministry forces was bombed with mortars. Madain residents say the town has been blocked for the last 3 days and dozens of people have been detained. They sent an urgent appeal to the Iraqi government to intervene.

The Anas bin Malik shrine in Shu'ayba, west of Basrah was attacked and vandalized. My old friends in Basrah have confirmed this over the phone. Things are now quiet in the Sunni towns of Zubair and Abu Al-Khasib, south of Basrah. Sadr's followers continue to demonstrate, but in general, things appear to have calmed down there.

Unconfirmed news of Mahdi militiamen in pickup trucks crawling on the capital from areas south of Baghdad yesterday, despite the daytime curfew. Last they were heard of was in Mahmoudiya. clashes erupted in Hor Rijab, a rural area south of Dora, this morning (see map below).

Uncomfirmed news of black clad militiamen, accompanied by Interior ministry forces, spreading in several areas of Abu Dshir, south of Dora, near the Al-Kadhimain Husseiniya, led by an individual named Sa'di Al-Wahsh (Sa'di the monster).

Clashes between Interior ministry forces and insurgents at Khan Dhari, Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad. According to the Defence minister, the force was providing protection for a funeral procession of the slain Al-Arabiya TV, Atwar Bahjat, heading to the Karkh cemetary. They came under fire and roadside bomb attacks near Harith Al-Dhari's residence at Khan Dhari, resulting in a firefight. The Association of Muslim Scholar's website, and Muthanna Al-Dhari's statements on Al-Jazeera TV, say the residents returned fire after they were mocked and assaulted by the Interior ministry force which arrived in 20 vehicles early in the morning, before the funeral procession. American forces in the area seem to have intervened, and later freed 2 of Dhari's cousins taken as prisoners by the Interior ministry forces.

Tariq Al-Hashimi, general secretary of the Islamic party confirmed the attack on Adhamiya yesterday, and mentioned that the National Guard units, assisted by local residents, repelled the attackers. The Abu Hanifa shrine in Adhamiya, the holiest Sunni shrine in Iraq which is under tight protection since Wednesday, was attacked with mortar rounds this morning with no casualties. Several Sunni and Shi'ite clerics were meeting in the shrine to discuss the latest developments.

Al-Hashimi also acknowledged that some elements of Al-Mahdi were helping to protect the mosques, but the statements on the Islamic party website, and their Baghdad TV indicate the opposite.

Sheikh Ra'ad Al-Najdi, the Imam and preaher of the Ma'ruf mosque in Nasiriya, was found killed yesterday morning. He was abducted Thursday night by black clad gunmen assaulting the mosque. Iraqi police withdrew from the Islamic party office in Nasiriya after news of large demonstrations against the Islamic party in the city.

The Interior ministry's Hawk brigade conducted raids in the Iskan district of Dora yesterday, detaining over 70 Sunni residents.

The Iraqi Rabita website reports an interview with a Mahdi militia leader today, quoted as saying: "Strange things are happening these days. It's true that our guys often act as a bunch of spiteful, criminal thieves going on sprees of sabotage, murder and plundering. But the people who were running the act were clean young men, elegantly dressed, in modern vehicles, carrying the latest weapons, unlike our guys who are usually unkempt ruffians. No one knows were they are now."

A statement by the Mujahideen Shura Council, an umbrella organization of insurgent groups, comprised of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Ansar Al-Sunna, Ansar Al-Tawhid, and the Army of the Victorious Sect says it will not keep silent over the overt aggression and violation against Sunnis and their mosques. The statement blamed the Iraqi government and Iran for the Samarra shrine bombing.

Photos of the fearful 'men in black' that Iraqis say are loose on the streets.





Photos of Shi'ite militiamen on the roofs of Sunni mosques.





Photos of Samarra residents cleaning the debris of the Askariyyain shrine in Samarra.









Map of developments in Baghdad updated.



The situation seems to be getting worse at night. I was relatively able to move around my neighbourhood during the day, to visit some friends and neighbours, and to buy cigarettes. Fuel for the generators is running out, and the local neighbourhood generator is used for less than 5 hours a day.

Now that it's dark, I can hear nearby gunfire again, but not as bad as yesterday night. I'll try to update again if something comes up.

# posted by Zeyad : 2/25/2006 08:42:00 PM

 

[nosarcasm]

but there is a current crisis right ?

 

[Annie]

but there is a current crisis right ?

Meaning that it would have been better for all if the mosque wasn't blown up? Yes.

 

[nosarcasm]

:rotflmao:


I was thinking it would be better all mosques would have been blown up.