[A-List] Southern Iraqi Region May Split From Baghdad

[Sabri Oncu]

Southern Iraqi Region May Split From Baghdad, Al-Jazeera Says 

Aug. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Southern Iraqi governorates plan to split from the
Iraqi central government in Baghdad because the interim administration has
failed to support Iraqis fighting occupation forces in Najaf, al-Jazeera
reported. 

The Basra, Misan and Dhi Qar governorates intend to form a new province, the
Qatar-based television network said, citing unidentified Iraqi officials.
The officials cited Basra's Deputy Governor Salam Uda al-Maliki as saying
yesterday he will make the announcement. Maliki didn't say when the split
will be made. 

``This reaction comes in response to the crimes committed against Iraqis by
an illegal and unelected government and occupation forces,'' al-Jazeera
cited Ali Hamud al-Musawi, head of the Misan governorate council, as saying
yesterday. The occupation forces ``claimed they came to liberate Iraq, but
it turned out that they have come to kill Iraqis,'' Musawi said. 

Militiamen loyal to Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr are fighting in the
southern city of Najaf. Shiite Muslims make up more than 60 percent of
Iraq's population and are mainly in the south of the country. Iraq exports
about 90 percent of its oil from its southern fields mainly through Basra.
Sabotage to the country's northern pipeline has halted exports from its
Kirkuk fields since June. Iraq relies on oil exports for almost all of its
foreign-currency revenue. 

(al-Jazeera 8-11) 

http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage for al-Jazeera's Web site