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| Iraq |
| US army hands Iraq control of last anti-Qaeda fighters |
| 2009-04-03 |
| BAGHDAD - The US army on Thursday handed over to Iraq control of the last former anti-Qaeda fighters credited with bringing calm to many strife-ridden areas of the country at the height of the insurgency. Some of the Sahwa or Awakening militia, made up mostly of Sunnis, and who were financed and trained by the US military in 2007 to battle Al-Qaeda, will be integrated into the security forces. Others among them have been promised government jobs. “Everyone in the government understands the importance of the Sons of Iraq and their sacrifices for the good of the nation,” said official Zuhair al-Chalibi, referring to the former fighters by their other name. He said the government, which has promised that 20 percent of the 92,000 strong Sahwa will join the army or police, would continue to support the “vital project and give it the attention it deserves.” The US army said a ceremony was held on Thursday morning to mark the transfer of 10,000 Sahwa to the Iraqi Army—the final group to be handed back to Iraqi control—from Salaheddin province north of Baghdad. The handover, in the provincial capital Tikrit, comes days after the government paid 30 million dollars to Sahwa members who had not received their salaries, even though the 2009 budget has not yet been approved. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 I'm sure this step will make USA a lot of friends in Iraq. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-04-03 05:53 |