New police chief appointed in Anbar following bombings

Anbar, Dec. 28 (AKnews) -  Brigadier General Abdul Hadi Arzij has been officially announced by Anbar provincial council as new police chief after dismissing the former chief following Monday bombings that targeted government compounds and killed nine.   The Anbar provincial council voted unanimously on Friday to dismiss police chief Baha al-Qaisi from his office and appoint Brigadier General Hadi Arzij instead. In an official announcement in Ahmed Abu Rish place in Ramadi city, Arzij was officially assigned as the new police chief in the province to replace al-Qaisi who was fire by the provincial council for poor management. "The dismissal of al-Qaisi who served as commander of the police came as a result of his poor management for security situation (in the province) and the security breaches" recently that. On Monday, two bombers attacked government buildings killing nine and injuring 53 others, most of them civilians. In mid-December, too, bombers attacked the government buildings in a similar scenario and killed 13 and wounded more than 45 others. "We wish the new leader of the Anbar provincial police to enforce new security plans to protect the lives of innocent people in the province." the governor of Anbar, Qassim Mohammed Abed, told AKnews. The move was welcomed by the tribal leaders of the mainly Sunni province, as well, who took up arms in 2006 against the insurgents like al-Qaeda in Iraq and formed the Awakening Councils to help Iraqi security forces. Anbar was enjoying relative stability since 2006 when the Awakening Councils drove out insurgents from the province. "The tribes in Anbar welcomed the new police leader as he represents them, and he is one of the people of Ramadi" said Aifan Saadoun, head of the security committee in Anbar provincial council. Saadoun says the council requested ending the work of al-Qaisi not because of security breaches, but because they wanted a a police commander who "represents its sons and be familiar with the geography of the province,"   Al-Qaisi said in an interview with AKnews that he accepted the dismissal and that he was at least happy that he was able, during the time he served as police chief, to thwart numerous organized crimes and bombings. "The maintenance of security in Anbar was one of my priorities" he said. Reported by Ali al-Qaisi, edited by Raber Y. Aziz Rn/AKnews Tuesday, December 28th 2010 1:46 PM

Erbil preparing for New Year Day amid fears of attacks

Erbil, Dec. 27 (AKnews) – Erbil city, capital of Iraqi Kurdistan Region, is preparing for the New Year Day celebrations amid fears of terrorist attacks. Erbil provincial council is preparing events and celebrations to mark the New Year day including live music concerts and fireworks in the public parsk and around the government building. "Dozens of artists will participate in the music concerts" said Tahir Abdullah, deputy Erbil governor. Also big screens will show live the celebrations in three different spots in the city, including one on top of the historical citadel in the center of Erbil so that people can watch the events from a better position. The provincial council has spent 60 million Iraqi Dinars (about US$49,000) on the preparations, Tahir said. Streets, public parks and the shopping malls in the city are already decorated with colorful lights during the night. Erbil's Majidi Mall, one of the largest shopping centers in Iraq, has erected a large Chrismas tree in the center of the mall. "Fireworks in Shandar Park and the surrounding of the provincial council will also add to the beauty of the celebrations" Abdullah said. But the preparations of the day come amid fears that armed groups may deal a blow on the crowds of the merry-making people in the city which enjoys greater security and stability. The last fatal attack was in 2007 when a truck packed with explosives exploded in front of the regional government's ministry of the interior killed 17 people. On Sunday night, two sound bombs exploded in Ainkawa, a predominantly Christian-populated town to the west of the city, spreading fear in the hearts of the local Christians and the displaced Iraqi Christians who have fled their homes to the town. Also, Monday morning, an improvised explosive device consisting of two mortar rockets placed in a crowded area of the city was disarmed by an explosives disposal squad. Erbil police chief Abdulkhaliq Talaat says they have their own security plan for the day, in cooperation with the other security services. "The security forces will maintain security of the hotels and public places where celebrations are held." Talaat said. The security services were expected to release later today a statement about the two explosions in Ainkawa. (Saman Ali contributed to this story, Edited by Raber Y. Aziz) Monday, December 27th 2010 4:01 PM

Sound bombs terrify Christians in Erbil ahead of celebrations

Erbil, Dec. 27 (AKnews) - Twin sound bomb explosions in Erbil city's Ainkawa town ahead of new year celebrations has spread fear among the dominant Christians of the town and the displaced Iraqi Christian residing there. The explosion took place late Sunday night in front of a restaurant "Mnqal Jan" in Ainkawa, north west of Erbil, where hundreds of displaced Iraqi Christian families from central and southern Iraq have taken sanctuary. The explosion did not cause any casualties except some damage to a nearby house. Though sound bombs cause no serious damages, it could be an alert for the Christians who had found peace after fleeing their homes in the other parts of Iraq for fear of attacks by armed groups. In November, insurgents attacked a church in Baghdad taking the church-goers and the priests hostage. while security forces were trying to raid the church to free the hostages, some 50 people including the attendants, priests, and security personnel were killed. Armed groups have always tried to penetrate the security lines of the Kurdish cities, but have considerably failed to do so. On November 1st, the suicide driver of a vehicle packed with around 450 kg of explosives was shot dead in one of the checkpoints that lead to Erbil city by security forces. In contrast to the rest of Iraq, Christians of Ainkawa town, were preparing for the the New Year day celebrations because the Christians felt safe. But the sound bombs may deter them from merry-making. Christians of other parts of Iraq have already announced plans that they will not celebrate Christmas and the new year day for fear of insurgent attacks. instead they would gather in one church. Police forces are looking into the explosions and no group has claimed responsibility yet. (Hemn Jamal contributed to this story, Edited by Raber Y. Aziz) Monday, December 27th 2010 1:43 PM

Turkey's Kurds campaign for schooling in Kurdish langauge

Ankara, Dec. 25 (AKnews) - A group in Turkey's Diarbakir, largest Kurdish city in the country,  is preparing to launch a signature-collecting campaign for schooling in Kurdish languages for the indigenous Kurds of the country. Turkey's about 17 million Kurds are not allowed education in their mother tongue in the public schools and the use of the language is banned in the government and officials institutions. Education in Kurdish in the private schools was first allowed in 2004. And the first Kurdish languages satellite TV channel was opened in 2010. The group, called the Kurdish Language and Education Movement, is aiming at collecting one million signatures to submit them to the UNESCO, the Turkish and European parliaments as well to support their cause. The campaign is widely supported by the political Kurdish parties including the largest group, Peace and Democracy Party, or known by its  Turkih acronym BDP. The Kurds of Turkey have unleashed a wave of pressures recently on the Turkish government to recognize their language and to allow schooling in Kurdish. Earlier this month, a group of Kurds accused of having links with the Kurdish armed group Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) insisted to defend themselves in the court in Kurdish. The court labeled their languages in its records as an "alien" language being used by the defendants. "The right to education using the native language is one of the international and natural rights and the Turkish authorities must grant this right to the Kurds in the country." the campaigners said. "The signatures are expected to be submitted to the UNESCO and the Turkish and European parliaments on February 21 which is the World Day of Mother Language," The group also called for a boycott of schools in Diarbakir city in the first week as part of their campaign dubbed "We Demand Education in the Mother Tongue" Turkey has been locked in a decades-long conflict with the Kurds over their cultural and political rights. The PKK declared armed action against the Turkish state nearly three decades ago to achieve national, cultural and political rights which has claimed more than 45,000 lives most of them Kurds. The group first fought for the independence of Kurdistan - the Kurdish region of Turkey-  but now fights for greater rights to the Kurds within Turkey. Reported by Kamal Avci Edited by Raber Y. Aziz

Record-breaking serial killer arrested in central Iraq

Babil, Dec. 23 (AKnews) - A record-breaking serial killer accused of the kidnap-slaying of 16 most probably Iraqi Kurds in six months has been arrested by the security forces in Babil province. The man identified by Major General Fadel Radad al-Sultani from the Ministry of the Interior as "Raed Hamid Jawad Unaitis" used to stop vehicles with number plates registered in Kurdish cities taking the drivers hostage and then killed them and burned their bodies. No other Iraqi killers with this high record of killings in the short period have been arrested in Iraq so far. Unaitis was arrested in the western Rabie border crossing on the Syrian border while trying to enter Syria with a fake passport. "The security services in Babil also arrested the gang members who were cooperating with him in his criminal acts," said al-Sultani. The killer used to drive the hostages in their cars back to his home in Bu-Alwan village, north of the capital city Hilla, killed them, burned their bodies and buried the remains in the courtyard of his house, according to al-Sultani. After committing the murders, Unaitis would sell the cars in the Kurdistan Region. The security forces were able to arrest the man only after Kurdish security forces (Asayish) accompanied by Kurdish citizens from Kurdistan Region inquired at Babil province investigative judge about the seller of the cars. Unaitis is the nephew of Mohammed Jawad Unaitis - another wanted man on charges of participating in the mass-grave crimes in 1991 in Kurdistan Region and the southern Iraqi Shia cities following the poplar uprising against the former Iraqi regime. Reported by Bashar Alewi Rn/Ry/AKnews