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Sectarian clashes rock Iraq

Atul Aneja

Dozens killed in attacks; private militias may takeover security of Shia shrines

DUBAI: Violent sectarian clashes have erupted following the destruction of the golden dome of a historic Shia shrine in Samarra, bringing Iraq precariously close to a full-scale civil war.

The attack on the Al-Askari shrine on Wednesday triggered a spate of angry demonstrations nationwide, some of which turned violent. The Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) — an influential Sunni body — has claimed that 168 mosques have been attacked, 10 clerics killed and 15 abducted. In Basra, militiamen set fire to a seventh century Sunni shrine.

Journalists killed

Sectarian violence has already claimed 110 lives since Wednesday. At least 46 bodies have been recovered, most of whom appear to have been gunned down at close range, execution style. Several of these bodies were found dumped in several Shia dominated areas in Baghdad. The dead included a prominent woman correspondent from the Dubai based Al Arabiya television, along with two other Iraqi journalists, who had been covering the Samarra explosion. Their bullet-riddled bodies were found on the outskirts of city, which is 96 km north of Baghdad.

On Thursday, gunmen killed 47 factory workers after pulling them out of buses. The incident took place near Baquba, not far from Baghdad.

With confidence in the Government receding fast, Shia leaders were preparing their private militias to takeover security of the shrines. Significantly, top spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani urged the Government "to shoulder its full responsibilities" to protect holy sites. Otherwise, "the believers are able to do so, by the aid of God." Analysts point out the Ayatollah Sistani might be threatening to deploy his own militia, Ansar Sistani.

Moqtada Al Sadr has also issued a statement that "Brothers in the Mehdi Army [his militia] must protect all Shia shrines and mosques, especially in Samarra." Thousands of Shias took out protest demonstrations.

Sunni religious leaders are blaming their Shia counterparts for the mayhem. Spokesman for the AMS, Abdul-Salam Al-Kubaisi, said Shia leaders had called for demonstrations knowing fully well that "Iraqi borders are open and the streets are penetrated with those who want to create strife among Iraqis."

The on-going political dialogue between Sunni and Shia groups has been interrupted. A spokesman for the Iraqi Accord Front — a Sunni grouping that has won several seats in the recent parliamentary elections, said talks with Shia and Kurdish parties on the formation of a national unity government have stalled.

Four U.S. soldiers killed

AP reports:

Four U.S. soldiers have been killed when their vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.

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