Merging Iraqi national guards with the army

Iraq's minister of defense Hazem al-Shalan said yesterday that the ministry decided to merge the Iraqi national guards forces in the lines of the Iraqi army during celebrations of the Iraqi army day on January 6th.

Al-Shalan added that there are "military units which will graduate that day from all training centers in various parts of the country and these graduated units will be of the size of a full contingent." Worthy mentioning that the Iraqi national guards forces which was formed after the fall of the former regime are composed of 6 contingents and 60,000 persons, which exceeds the number of Iraqi army of three contingents.

At the political level, the Independent higher commission for the elections said that more than 7,000 candidates representing 11 political entities will compete in the legislative elections due on January 30, 2005 to win the 275 seats of the national assembly ( parliament).

Statistics of the commission said that 7471 representing some 75 political entities and 27 persons and 9 coalition will take part in the national assembly elections.