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Undeclared civil war has broken out, says Iraqi Minister

Atul Aneja

Shia leader blames groups loyal to Saddam, Zarqawi for bombings

DUBAI: A day after suicide bombers killed at least 75 Shia worshippers, four more persons have died in a blast in the Shia-dominated town of Musayyib, south of Baghdad.

The killings have fuelled tensions between the majority Shia and minority Sunni communities in Iraq, threatening a full-scale civil war.

Responding to the danger of a spiralling sectarian conflict, Abdel Aziz Al Hakim, powerful Shia leader who heads the Supreme Council for Islamic revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), has issued a call for unity. "The Sunni brothers are our political partners and we need to co-exist with them

and form a government as soon as possible," Mr. Al Hakim said addressing thousands of Shias who had gathered at his office in central Baghdad.

The Shia leader accused groups loyal to the Jordanian born Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, and loyalists of the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, for the bombings. "These Zarqawists and Saddamists have triggered a genocide against the Shias."

Other Iraqi politicians have voiced anxiety over a sectarian conflict.

Impact of violence

Deputy Interior Minister Hussein Ali Kamal acknowledged that Iraq was witnessing an undeclared civil war. "Iraq has actually been in an undeclared civil war for the past 12 months," the BBC's Arabic Service quoted him as saying. He, however, added that the civil war was "not on a wide scale."

Analysts point out that the violence would impact on the formation of new government — a task that was still unaccomplished despite the conclusion of elections four months ago.

Mr. Al Hakim said the purpose of the attacks was "to stop the political process and create an impasse." Sunni-Shia tensions acquired a high pitch after the bombing of a historic Shia shrine in Samarra on February 22. It led to reprisal killings of Sunnis, who were blamed for the attack.

Call for unity Government

The U.S. embassy in Iraq has been advocating the formation of a national unity government, which includes Sunnis.

However, Iraqi politicians have said Washington is opposed to Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari and wants him to step down, to facilitate the formation of a new government. Leaders of all seven groups comprising the United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) that has got the maximum number of seats in Parliament are slated to meet on Sunday to discuss Mr. Jaafari's nomination.

Observers say the Americans are also trying hard to rein in the influence of Iran among Shias in Parliament.

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