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New Iraqi plan to curb violence New Iraqi plan to curb violence
(about 2 hours later)
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has announced a new four-point plan aimed at reducing sectarian violence.Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has announced a new four-point plan aimed at reducing sectarian violence.
The plan, involving setting up local security committees in each area, came after intensive talks with top Sunni and Shia politicians. The plan to set up local security committees in areas around the country was agreed after intensive talks with top Sunni and Shia politicians.
They have been engaged in bitter recriminations as violence has risen, especially in the capital, Baghdad. It came as police said about 50 bodies had been found in Baghdad since Sunday. On Monday, 14 shop workers were abducted in broad daylight in the city.
In other violence, the US military said attacks killed at least five soldiers.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in Baghdad, says that with the situation on the ground worsening rapidly, the political climate within Iraq's national unity government was also becoming increasingly envenomed.
If everyone is honest it will put an end to sectarianism Adnan al-DulaimiSunni politician The battle for Baghdad Mr Maliki called senior Sunni and Shia figures together, despite leaders from each group bitterly criticising the other in recent times.
Shia politicians had accused senior Sunni figures of providing cover for terrorist attacks.Shia politicians had accused senior Sunni figures of providing cover for terrorist attacks.
With the situation on the ground worsening rapidly, the political climate within the national unity government was also becoming increasingly envenomed.
The Sunnis accused Shias in the government apparatus of allowing their own militias to carry out sectarian abductions and murders on a huge scale.The Sunnis accused Shias in the government apparatus of allowing their own militias to carry out sectarian abductions and murders on a huge scale.
With the death toll from sectarian violence reaching ever-higher levels and new atrocities happening every day, something had to be done.
WarningWarning
Mr Maliki held emergency talks with senior figures from all the major factions represented in the government. In the latest wave of violence:
He gave them a stern warning that the situation was getting out of control.
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  • Fourteen employees at a Baghdad computer shop were seized in a midday attack on Monday - the second mass abduction in as many days
They agreed to a four-point plan aimed at stemming the sectarian violence.
  • At least seven of 26 people snatched from a meat plant on Sunday were found dead in southern Baghdad, police said
  • Overall, Baghdad police said, about 50 corpses had been found in the city since Sunday
  • At least five US soldiers have been killed in separate shooting and bomb attacks in the city in the past two days, the US military said.
    • The four-point plan was designed with the aim of reducing violence around Iraq, but especially in Baghdad.
    Mr Maliki gave issued a stern warning that the situation was getting out of control, our correspondent says.
    Special committees are to be set up in each district with representatives of all the major factions to monitor the drive to halt the carnage.Special committees are to be set up in each district with representatives of all the major factions to monitor the drive to halt the carnage.
    A similar central committee will co-ordinate with the security forces involved.A similar central committee will co-ordinate with the security forces involved.
    One senior Sunni leader said that if everybody stuck to their commitments, sectarian strife would be ended. One senior Sunni politician, Adnan al-Dulaimi, said the plan had a chance of success, but the consequences of failure would be severe.
    If not, he warned, Iraq would be finished. "If everyone is honest and keeps to their commitments, it will be positive for the Iraqi people and put an end to sectarianism," he said.
    "If not, it will be the end of Iraq."