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Basra still faces militia threat: Brit general
BAGHDAD - Iraq's main southern city of Basra remains under threat from militias despite a March offensive against them that killed hundreds of people, the top British commander in Iraq said on Monday. "There is still danger from extremists in Basra," Major General Barney White-Spunner told reporters at a US military base near Baghdad airport. The British general said the militias' grip on Iraq's second city was "finished" but did not rule out the possibility of them returning. "There are still violent extremists intent on coming back... there is some danger from them. But we are putting in place a structure, so when they do try to come back they will get arrested," the general told reporters.He said the British military and Iraqi forces were setting up a "counter-terrorist structure" in a bid to thwart any future attempt by militiamen to gain ground in the region. White-Spunner said the March military assault had established security in the city and surrounding region following the killing and detention of hundreds of militiamen. Iraqi forces have "reclaimed Basra. Normalcy is returning... People feel this security is here to stay. Iraqi forces are very popular. There is confidence in the Iraqi forces," he said. The British military handed over security responsibility for Basra to Iraqi forces in December but within three months the situation in the oil-rich province deteriorated and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered an assault to retake control of the region. White-Spunner insisted nonetheless that the decision to transfer security responsibility in Basra to Iraqi forces was the right one. "It was the right decision. We always knew it (Basra) had to have an Iraqi solution. The approach was to have Iraqis in the lead," he said. Posted by: Steve White 2008-07-15 |
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