An agreement has been reached between governorate officials of al Anbar and Karbala governorates at a meeting in Hilla to set up a joint security commission. The two governorates are to coordinate operations and share information. Joint patrolling, securing of pilgrimage routes, securing of lake Razzaza (15 km west of Karbala), a hotline between the two governorate security control rooms is also being set up. The agreement is in the context of the agreement between tribal leaders in Al Anbar, Karbala, and Babil. The arrangement will be extended to Babil shortly. (The governorates will ask the green zone government to provide support and will cooperate with foreign forces as the situation requires.)
The Ninawa corruption enquiry that we reported Reports From Irak June 3rd 2007 continues. Today Jevara Aazi a third member of the council was arrested and warrants for other officials have been issued. The scale of the corruption involved which at the time we reported as “huge” is now becoming clearer. According to one of those handling the investigation it involves an:
“ongoing investigation regarding the disappearance of billions of dollars from the budget plan for 2006 projects for the regional development and accelerated reconstruction projects.”
Amongst the matters being investigated are the manipulation of reconstruction contracts in favour of bogus companies, contracts for health and educational services and supplies at
“steep prices that are far from the real prices in the domestic market.”
In al-Latifiya gunmen hijacked a convoy of three tanker trucks carrying crude oil to the Dora refinery. They killed the drivers took the contents and left. (This is an important attack. The pipeline to that refinery was blown up recently and it is operating at partial capacity. If it closes the green zone government or reduces operations further it will be a disaster for the green zone government as it supplies fuel to electricity generating plants for Baghdad. Convoys coming from the north are already impossible because of attacks and the Southern route was the fall-back strategy)
A forgery ring in Maysan has been broken up.
The Kut offices of the foundation headed by Abdul Al Aziz Hakims’ son Ammar have been blown up.
Reports From Baghdad
15 corpses were recovered in Baghdad 12 in al-Karkh 3 in al- Rusafa.
One person was killed and three others were injured, in yesterday’s mortar attack on Nahrawan.
Followers of the Fadhila (Virtue party) demonstrated in Al Firdoos square protesting the green zone government’s failure to provide security or services. [This is the separatist party in Basrah.]
America’s puppet premier Nouri Al Maliki continued his pubic meltdown accusing foreign academics, analysts, and commentators, of being engaged in a conspiracy against Irak.
Babil Governorate
Fighting in Iskandriyah has wounded 3 police officers and 4 civilians, including 3 women and is still continuing.
Basra Governorate
3 civilians were wounded in a mortar attack on south Basrah.
A university professor in Basrah has been killed and his wife seriously wounded by gunmen.
Dahuk Governorate
Very heavy shelling from Turkey of villages in Zakho. The barrage started at 4 AM and lasted 3 hours. The bombardment has set on fire forests and scrubland this fire is still burning. Local officials say about 250 shells fell. The areas bombarded are:
- Almosh
- Georjan
- Khwakrok
- Kort
- Moslok
The villages bombarded are:
- Bala
- Birwari
- Kolyan
- Nhili
- Sindi
Dhi Qar Governorate
A green zone government police officer has been shot in Nasiriyah. 1st Lt. Karim Nouri, was attacked in the street in front of his house, his condition is said to be serious. He had recently taken part in the operations against the Jaish Al Mahdi.
- One green zone government policeman died and 8 people were injured by a bomb targeting a police patrol in Suq.
- A child has been killed by a mortar shell as was a policeman.
- Nasiriyah centre is under curfew.
- Two politicians’ homes one from Dawa and one from Hizballah have been bombed.
- 3 police have have been killed in a shoot out on the Nasiriyah-Basrah road about 20Km west of Nasiriyah.
Diyala Governorate
3 bombs have exploded in Balad Ruz, one child reported killed. The same report says that a kidnap victim was found and freed from his kidnappers by police.
Maysan Governorate
Two gangs of criminals have been detained the first are smugglers of stolen and looted archaeological artefacts.
The second are forgers in the raid large quantities of forged 5 and 10 thousand dinar notes were seized.
Let me remind you of what we reported yesterday:
The green zone government Central Bank has denied reports that large amounts of forged currency are in circulation claiming that the reports are an attempt to destabilise it.
That report was from Al Sabah the government newspaper by the way and is a good indication of why we rarely cite anything they say. If you do however read it a good rule is to assume the moment they deny there is a problem that the problem in question is out of control.
Najaf Governorate
In Najaf the refugee statistics of families registered as internal refugees are as follows:
- The majority of these, 7677, are from Baghdad.
- 628 families are refugees from Diyala.
- 200 families are refugees from Ninawa.
- 146 families are refugees from Salah Al Din.
- 141 families are refugees from Al Anbar.
- 66 families are refugees from Kirkuk.
- 8 families are refugees from Babil
- 8 families are refugees from Wasit.
- 1 families are refugees from Karbala.
- 77 families have returned to Baghdad.
- 6 were resettled in other governorates.
- 200 families are living in a camp that has neither water nor electricity.
Salah ad Din Governorate
Green zone government security officials say they have captured 2 of the people involved in the bombing of Amerli district market in Touz Khormatou on July 7th which killed 105 and left more than 250 wounded.
Wasit Governorate
The Wasit headquarters of the SIIC (SCIRI) communication division headed by Abdul Aziz Al Hakim’s son Ammar in Kut has been blown up. Raiders overcame and tied up the two guards outside, the two guards inside, planted large amounts of explosive inside the building and left. The building was completely destroyed in the explosion. Two passers by were injured by the explosion.
(At present Ammar Al Hakim is trying to ensure an orderly succession in SIIC - his father Abdul Aziz Al Hakim has lung cancer. Furthermore the fighting in Wasit between the Sadrists and SIIC is continuing control of this governorate is important particularly as SIIC fear the result of the forthcoming governorate elections. The founation in question has 84 branches throughout the governorates of Irak, including 13 branches in the cities of Wasit governorate.)
A green zone government police patrol in Kut came under a coordinated bombing/followed by rocketry attack. 4 katyushas were used.
Mohammed Khader Hashi
