Snipers Kill Top Iraqi Military Commander in Baghdad

Sniper-fire killed one of Iraq’s top military commanders, Major General Mubdar Hatim Al Dulaimi, as he drove through Baghdad on Monday. Trained by the United States, Dulami was in command of all Iraqi military forces in the city.

The Major General oversaw the 6th Division of the Iraqi army, and was killed in a drive-by attack in the western part of the capital, according to Reuters.

The 6th Division had in recent weeks been major force in attempting to restore calm in the midst of rising sectarian clashes following the February 22 bombing of the Al Askaria Shiite mosque in the town of Samarra.

The division was also the largest and newest division formed by the US in an attempt to turn over security responsibilities from US forces to Iraq’s local population.

“This tragic incident will neither impede the 6th Iraqi Army Division from continuing its mission of securing Baghdad nor derail the formation of the government of Iraq,” said U.S. commander General George Casey.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s parliament is set to meet on March 12 for the first time since its formation in December in an attempt to form a broad coalition government which would represent Iraq’s numerous communities.

However, Iraq’s sectarian divide seems to be growing along with bloodshed, and many fear that the country is headed for civil war.

2006 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)