By Sameer N. Yacoub
The Associated Press, 04 July 2006.
A provincial police chief resigned Tuesday and the governor said he would leave his post after coalition forces turn over security to Iraqi forces in the southern area later this month, citing fears that violence will increase.
A member of the Muthanna provincial council said the decisions were made at a meeting after nearly 300 fired policemen stormed into the local government headquarters in Samawah earlier in the day to protest their lost jobs. Other former policemen also reportedly beat another council member after breaking into his house Monday night.
The panel accepted the resignation of Col. Mohammed Najim Abu Kihila, the chief of Muthanna police, "amid the deteriorating security, demonstrated by the assault on the provincial council's members and some citizens," councilman Mohammed al-Zayadi said.
He also said provincial Gov. Mohammad Ali Hassan offered his resignation and the council agreed to accept it as long as he stayed in his position until security was transferred from coalition forces to Iraqis later this month.
Another council member, speaking on condition of anonymity because he said he wasn't authorized to disclose the information, said earlier that other members of the panel also had offered to resign to protest the security handover because Iraqi forces were not ready.
"We reject the transfer of security from the coalition forces to the Iraqi forces because security will deteriorate more and more," the council member said.
But Kihila said it was only the governor and the police chief. He said Col. Ali Mutashar was appointed to fill the police post until a new chief is chosen.
The Japanese Kyodo News agency also said last-minute negotiations were under way between Hassan and the commander of the multinational forces in Iraq to complete the transfer of provincial security to the Iraqis on July 13.
Japan is in the process of withdrawing its 600 troops from its base near the provincial capital, Samawah. British and Australian troops also operate in the province but are preparing to withdraw after Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Iraqi forces would be ready to take over security responsibilities sometime this month.
Handing over control of provinces does not necessarily mean the Americans or their allies would pull out entirely.
Instead, U.S. officials have said it means the provincial governor would have control, and civilian police would be the first to respond. U.S.-led coalition forces would only nominally intervene following a request from Iraqi officials.
Citation: Sameer N. Yacoub. "Iraq Provincial Governor Threatens to Quit," The Associated Press, 04 July 2006.
Original URL: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/ap/world/4023247