Iraq’s top Sunni Arab political leader on Sunday accused Shia-dominated security forces of pursuing a strategy of sectarian “cleansing” in Baghdad, saying the country will slip into “turmoil” if crackdowns don’t end.
| I thought that was what it was in now? And that the Sunnis were bumping off Shias left and right? |
Adnan al-Dulaimi, leader of the Iraq Accordance Front, also indicated that he would oppose the vital interior and defence ministries being awarded to Shias. “We believe that the posts of the interior and defence ministers should be kept away from any sectarian and political considerations,” al-Dulaimi told reporters during a press conference in Baghdad.
The Sunni stance sets the stage for a potentially fierce battle with predominant Shia figures over who will win the portfolios. On Saturday, the head of the Shia militia, the Badr Brigade, said Shia religious parties will “never surrender” those ministries. “We are subjected to a daily slaughter. We will not relinquish security portfolios,” said Hadi al-Amri, head of militia, which is the military arm of the Supreme Council of the Islamic Republic in Iraq, the country’s top Shia group and the dominant force in forming the next government. |