The USG Open Source Center reports on how Arabic television is reporting on political and security developments in Iraq.
‘Al-Sharqiyah, Al-Iraqiyah Report on Political, Security Developments in Iraq
Iraq — OSC Summary
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Dubai Al-Sharqiyah Television in Arabic, independent, private news and entertainment channel focusing on Iraq, run by Sa’d al-Bazzaz, publisher of the Arabic-language daily Al-Zaman, carries between 1500 GMT and 2030 GMT on 17 November the following reports on latest political and security developments in Iraq:
. . . “Iraqi security sources today said that 30 bodies of treacherously-killed people were found in the Al-Dawrah neighborhood in southwestern Baghdad. In press statements, the sources said that an awakening force from Al-Dawrah found the bodies inside incompletely-built houses while it was wandering around Hur Rajab Farms on the edges of Al-Dawrah. The sources added that it is believed that the bodies belong to travelers who were kidnapped by Al-Qa’ida Organization on the main road connecting Baghdad with the southern governorates more than six months ago.”
— “During a large-scale security operation in Al-Diwaniyah in central Al-Qadisiyah Governorate in southern Iraq, an Iraqi Interior Ministry’s police force seized a number of weapons, devices, and documents in an office belonging to Badr Corps, which is affiliated with the Iraqi Islamic Supreme Council (IISC). An informed security source in the force said that 134 pieces of weaponry, including mortar shells, communication devices, and a machine for printing government identification cards, were found at the headquarters of Badr Corps in Al-Diwaniyah. The source added that the force arrested four guards of Husayn al-Shahramani, IISC repressive in Al-Diwaniyah Governorate Council, and seized their personal weapons. The IISC did not issue any response on this operation.”
— “Al-Mahdi Army, which is affiliated with Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, organized a military parade in Basra Governorate in southern Iraq to mark the ninth anniversary of the martyrdom of Muhammad Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr. Ali al-Sa’idi, spokesman for Martyr Al-Sadr Office in Basra, said that some people are trying to level accusations to Al-Mahdi Army, which he said is committed to preventing sedition. He added: “Others should not raid its headquarters or work toward eliminating it politically or ideologically.”
— “The Iraqi Government today called on the Turkish Government to give it some time to take measures that would lead to limiting the activities of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq. The call came a day after the Iraqi president said that a Turkish invasion of northern Iraq is almost inevitable. Iraqi Government Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told journalists in Baghdad that Turkey should give the combined steps some tim e to curb the PKK’s actions, adding that the implementation of these steps started only two weeks ago.” . . .
— “Al-Sadr Office is Al-Diwaniyah in southern Iraq announced that security forces arrested today three women, including the mother of a commander in Al-Mahdi Army. Meanwhile, Abu-Zaynab al-Qar’awi said in a telephone call to a news agency said that a leader of Al-Sadr trend died today of wounds he sustained last month during his arrest by police forces in Ifij District, south of Al-Diwaniyah.
Al-Qar’awi said that Abbas Al-Ghurabi died of wounds he sustained during his arrest by Al-Diwaniyah Emergency Police forces last month in Ifij.”
— “The Iraqi Council of Representatives announced the adjournment of its session until Monday and the postponement of discussions over the verdict against those convicted in Al-Anfal case [1988 poison gas campaign against Kurds] until a later date. This issue was put on the agenda of the Council of Representatives after debate between the head of the government and the presidency of the republic reached its climax. Meanwhile, the issue witnessed a new development yesterday when the government of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region declined from participating in the debate taking place over the execution of the convicted defendants. President Jalal Talabani said a few days ago in Cairo that religious authority Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani advised not to execute [former Iraqi defense minister under Saddam] Sultan Hashim.”
Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic, government-sponsored television station, run by the Iraqi Media Network, carries within its 1700 GMT newscast the following reports:
— “Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said that the awareness of the sons of the Iraqi people and their support for and cooperation with the security services thwarted all attempts by terrorists to cause sectarian war among the sons of the country. In a speech delivered during a celebration of Baghdad Day, Al-Maliki asserted that the coming stage will be a stage of reconstruction and building all over Iraq, especially after the operations carried out by the men of the Iraqi Police and Army to uproot the phenomenon of terrorism in Iraq.”
Al-Maliki says: “Baghdad got rid of two nightmares: The nightmare of dictatorship, which ruined the country, took it into unjust wars, and attacked neighboring countries, in addition to the violations against the sons of the homeland, the acts of discrimination and division, and sowing the seeds of sedition and sectarianism. Second, there is the victory over the nightmare of sectarian war and sedition, which many people sought to foment to tear the country apart. We were sliding toward sectarian wars, which were promoted by ignorant men, hirelings, and mercenaries. However, it should be written with gold letters that the sons of the Iraqi people overcame these sectarian fears and became united once again.”
He adds: “Last year, the national unity government allocated 400 million dollars for Baghdad Municipality. This year, however, we allocated one billion dollars in the new budget for it, in addition to 800 million dollars for Baghdad Governorate and the ministries involved in the reconstruction of Baghdad.”
— “National Security Adviser Dr Muwaffaq al-Rubay’i said that the noticeable improvement in the performance of the Iraqi security forces contributed to a large extent to enhancing security and stability in Baghdad and other areas. During a visit to Al-Kazimiyah in Baghdad, he said that the stability achieved is one of the most important reasons for the increase in economic and trade activities, in addition to the noticeable increase in the number of visitors of the holy shrines. ” ‘
© 2024 All Rights Reserved