Arab- Kurdish clashes North of Baghdad, Cholera in al-Basra
Iraq, Politics, 5/8/2003

Leaders of the main Iraqi groups will discuss today with the American officials in Baghdad arrangements of an interim government, the occupation authorities want to install in the country, while the American forces continue to appoint local administrations in various parts of the country, the most remarkable of these was appointing yesterday a governor in Salah Eddine governorate including the city of Takrit, the birth place of Ex-President Saddam Hussein.

However, differences seemed to be at its peak in Kerbala where a violent demonstration took place yesterday that obstructed the formation of a new local council instead of the one founded by the chieftains of the city upon the fall of the former Iraqi regime from the city.

Meantime, the world Health organization announced that 17 Cholera cases were reported in southern Iraq.

The spokeswoman for WHO Fadila al-Shayeb said "we do expect a vast spread of Cholera and we fear that hundreds of cases are there." She added "so far 17 Cholera case were admitted into two hospitals in the city," noting that analysis was made on many persons and the results will be annouced today (Thursday).

Meanwhile, local doctors and officials said yesterday that at least three persons were killed in fighting between Arabs and Kurds in al-Khales town ( 40 Km to the north of Baghdad ) during the three past days. Doctors at al-Khales hospital said that the fighting erupted after Arabs started opening fire at Kurds while heading from Karkouk to the Iraqi capital.

Ahmad Muhammad, the doctor at the local hospital said that large number of gunmen are deployed in the streets and are doing revenge acts against each other." I can confirm that three persons were killed but I assume that the number of killing is much larger." The American occupation forces entered the city on Tuesday evening to help establish peace but it left immediately and promised to send other forces in the coming days.

An eye witness, Ahmad Muhammad, said that "any car carrying plates from the north ( Kurdistan) is a target for launching a random fire and the city is not subjected to any law."

On Tuesday, the American occupation army said that gunmen opened fire at his soldiers in five separate attacks in the past three days, including an attack outside a presidential palace in Baghdad used as a headquarters for rebuilding and the US humanitarian aid.

The US central leadership in Qatar said that no one was killed in these incidents which also included a missile shell attack against a helicopter. One American soldier was hit in the knee.

In a similar context, the US central leadership in Qatar announced the detention of the former official for the Baath party office in al-Kout province Ghazi Hammoud al-Obeidi, who is number 32nd on the list of most wanted by the US for former Iraqi officials.

On the other hand, the US President George Bush has announced the suspension of a US law dates back to 1990 imposing sanctions on Iraq.

In a joint press conference with the Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, Bush said he takes this decision in addition to a decision announced earlier by the US treasury department to suspend certain trade sanctions.

In conclusion of his meeting with the UN chief, the US secretary of state Colin Powel said that the US will propose his week at the UN Security Council a draft law to lift the sanctions imposed on Iraq.

Powell added in remarks to differences emerged on Iraq between members of the UN Security Council that the decision will provide a vision for the long run and will not provoke the conflict of the past. Diplomats said that the draft US decision will be circulated on members of the UN Security Council tomorrow.

On the other hand, the US Treasury secretary John Snow said that the US had lifted certain economic measures imposed on Iraq. He said the regime which was the object of economic sanctions ended, adding that four measures will be immediately applied which are: permitting sending humanitarian aid to Iraq; permitting persons living in the USA to transfer money to Iraq at a rate of USD 500 for one person; permitting activities boosted by the American government especially regarding rebuilding of Iraq; and permitting humanitarian non- governmental activities, having the US as headquarters.

To this effect, the Russian Inter- Fax news agency quoted the Russian deputy foreign minister saying that Moscow proposes partial alleviation of the sanctions, while removing them ultimately requires the implementation of the UN resolution on Iraq's disarmament.

The chairman of the military intelligence at the US Department of State Steve Campon announced yesterday that a truck was found in northern Iraq presumed to be used a laboratory for producing biological weapons.

Campon who occupies the post of the assistant defense secretary for intelligence affairs said that American and British experts reached a conclusion that this unit seems not to do anything except produce biological weapons. He added that no germs were found in the truck which was found on April 19 near al-Musil to the north of Iraq. But he announced the truck will be tested and examined with the aim to have an evidence on the Iraqi regime having mass destruction weapons.

Previous Stories:
  Ambassador Paul Bremer Named Presidential Envoy to Iraq   (5/7/2003)
  U.S. Officials Help Search for $1 Billion Missing from Iraqi Central Bank   (5/7/2003)
  Occupation forces in Iraq continue to be targets of fire; update on Iraq situation   (5/7/2003)

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