You have commented 338 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Iraq
Dozens of bodies found in Iraq
2006-02-23
MORE than 50 bullet-riddled bodies were found overnight in Iraq as sectarian violence surged after the bombing of a revered Shiite shrine sparked revenge attacks against Sunni mosques.

Amid warnings the sectarian bloodshed could spiral inro all out civil war, Iraqi political and religious leaders were set to meet with President Jalal Talabani.
A total of 53 bodies were recovered in Baghdad and its suburbs, an interior ministry official said today.

The upsurge in killings came after suspected al-Qaeda linked militants yesterday morning bombed the 1000-year-old Imam Ali al-Hadi mausoleum, one of the countries' main Shiite shrines, in the town of Samarra, north of Baghdad.

Early today the police reported finding the bodies of three Iraqi journalists working for Dubai-based Arabiya satellite television who were kidnapped near Samarra last night while reporting on the shrine bombing.

"The bodies of the presenter Atwar Bahjat, of cameraman Adnan Abdallah and of soundman Khaled Mohsen were found early this morning some 15km north of Samarra," police said.

The bombing prompted global condemnation and appeals for calm, but large-scale demonstrations turned violent, leading to the killings of at least six Sunnis in the capital and attacks on a number of Sunni mosques nationwide.
Two people were also killed in an attack on offices of a Sunni political party in Iraq's mainly Shiite city of Basra, while gunmen stormed a prison in the southern port city and lynched 10 suspected Sunni militants from Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

The latest bloodshed came as Shiite and Sunni political factions bicker over the formation of a national unity government, amid anxiety that further delay in setting up a cabinet could lead the country into chaos.

The bomb attack on the shrine destroyed the dome of one of the Shiite Islam's holiest shrines where Shiites believe their 12th Imam disappeared in the 9th century AD.

In Baghdad, mobs killed three clerics and three worshippers in assaults on 27 Sunni mosques, an Iraqi security officer said.

Gunmen opened fire on Sunni religious sanctuaries and torched at least one, the officer added.

"We ask the Marjaiya (Shiite grand ayatollahs) to intervene before it is too late," Sunni-based Islamic Party's chief Tareq al-Hashimi said.

Iraq's top Shiite religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, urged his community to remain calm and to refrain from seeking vengeance.

But at least 2000 Shiite demonstrators took to the streets of Kut, 175km southeast of the capital, today shouting "vengeance, vengeance".

Waving the green flags of Islam and the national Iraqi colours, thousands of Shiites yesterday had also taken to the streets, vowing to punish those responsible for the attack.

Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari has proclaimed three days of national mourning and decreed that Thursday would be a public holiday.

Mr Jaafari called on Iraqis to denounce sectarian attacks and "close the road to those who want to undermine national unity".

"They are trying to push us into killing one another," the Government said in a statement.

The head of one of the most powerful Shiite parties in Iraq, Abdel Aziz Hakim, attributed part of the blame for the bombing on US ambassador Zalmay Khalizad, two days after the US diplomat offered a veiled rebuke to Shiite parties.

"These statements were a reason for more pressure and gave the green light to terrorist groups. Certainly he is partly responsible for what happened," Mr Hakim said.

Mr Khalilzad, who has repeatedly warned against growing sectarian tension, enraged Mr Hakim on Monday with a suggestion that the United States would curtail funds if Iraq's next government were run on a sectarian basis.

The supreme leader of neighbouring Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, also blamed Washington. But he too called on Iraqi Shiites not to seek revenge.

The Samarra bombing, carried out by men dressed in police commando uniforms, bore the hallmarks of supporters of al-Qaeda's Iraq frontman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who has declared war on the country's Shiites.

US President George W. Bush called on Iraqis to act with restraint.
Posted by:tipper

#10  Didn't the Iranians recently demand that the Brits + post-elex IGA get out of Shia areas???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2006-02-23 22:12  

#9  I wouldn't be too upset if the Mullahcracy and the Saudi princelings suddenly discover they have problems...
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-02-23 16:42  

#8  Won't this cause more problems with the Saudi's and the Iranians? We know they are backing different sides in this fight.
Posted by: plainslow   2006-02-23 14:47  

#7  You might want to check this post at Healing Iraq.

Or they could have been on the shelf plans that were implemented quickly so that the Sunnis' nose could be blooded but Sistani would look like the peace maker. Nothing over there would surprise me, especially as they are still in the process of negotiating the new government. Also interesting Tater was out of town.

And even if this was an al-Q attack, what are the chances the trainting and AAR occur in Iran?
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-02-23 13:57  

#6  I do not think it's just tiredness that justifies the idea that this act will NOT lead to a civil war. It is in neither groups interest to start one.

If there is anything rational about the process, the Shia just got a stronger hand finalizing the government as they can point to this atrocity and explain that their constituents now demand more. If I were a Sunni politician I'd be scared at the backlash and more willing to lock in a deal rather than hold out longer.

Beside, I believe the shrine had some clerics buried there that were important to the Sunni too.

What's interesting is how quickly the retaliation against sunni mosques came. I would be interested to know details as to how well planned and organized these attacks were. They could have been spontaneous or they could have been organized by Al Queda or Iran for various reasons.
Posted by: JAB   2006-02-23 13:01  

#5  Amen to all of the preceeding - they're not incompatible views. I certainly hope that they've had their fill of death. BH6's observation yesterday regards how quiet Anbar has become was welcome news. As what's left of the "insurgency" become focused, so can the efforts to end it. Seems to me, from afar, that most of the Iraqis are acquitting themselves well, overall, in the fight.
Posted by: .com   2006-02-23 12:55  

#4  I get the feeling both the Sunnis and the Shia are tired and don't really want a civil war.

[Putting rose-colored glasses on] I agree with 2b.

What's unmistakable, though, is the virtual drooling of AP and other MSM outlets over the prospect of an Iraqi civil war.
Posted by: Xbalanke   2006-02-23 12:48  

#3  I get the feeling both the Sunnis and the Shia are tired and don't really want a civil war.

This certainly seems bad and I know this may just be wishful thinking, but I'm hopeful that this still won't spiral to civil war.
Posted by: 2b   2006-02-23 09:23  

#2  I'm thinking the backlash on this may be a tipping point for many Sunnis and cause them to realize that 'resistance' is a road that leads to disaster for them.
Posted by: phil_b   2006-02-23 06:35  

#1  This is really bad. The stated aim of the Sunnis is to start a civil war. This act goes a long way towards accomplishing that goal.
Posted by: gromky   2006-02-23 05:06  

00:00