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Iraq's Maliki to revive Sunni militia role against al Qaeda

14 January 2014 01:51 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, in a striking change of course, is embracing the Sunni Muslim tribal fighters whose role in combating al Qaeda he had allowed to wither after U.S. troops left two years ago, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Al Qaeda-linked militants, feeding off widespread Sunni resentment at perceived mistreatment by his Shi'ite-led government, swept into the cities of Falluja and Ramadi two weeks ago in an embarrassing setback to Maliki.

His chances of a third term after a parliamentary election in April hang partly on his ability to project an image as a strong national figure who can impose security and stability.

Maliki has used al Qaeda's resurgence to muster foreign support for his government, which has otherwise disappointed the United States and allies by moving close to Iran and its failure to forge consensus with the once-dominant Sunni minority.

International engagement was evident on Monday with a visit to Baghdad by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"We are happy that the whole world stood by us in an unprecedented way," the 63-year-old Maliki, who has been in office since 2006, told Reuters on Sunday. But as security unravels in Falluja, Ramadi and other parts of Sunni-dominated Anbar province, Maliki appears to have heeded U.S. and other voices urging him to do more to enlist Sunni tribal support against al Qaeda and its allies. He is turning the money taps back on to try to quench an insurgency by al Qaeda's latest incarnation in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), whose rise has helped drive violence back to the worst level in five years.

The Sahwa (Awakening) militias that joined forces with U.S. troops to combat, if not defeat, al Qaeda in 2006-07 when Sunni-Shi'ite violence was at its peak can once again expect full support and recognition from the state, Maliki says. "Those people contribute to achieving security and the government has to take care of them," he said, briskly fielding questions at an ornate, flag-decked reception room in his three-storey palace in Baghdad's heavily guarded "Green Zone". Any tribesmen fighting alongside the Iraqi army against al Qaeda would be considered part of Sahwa. "They will get regular salaries and will be recognized by the government as security personnel and will get all the benefits of the security forces members," he said.