이라크 보안군은 지난 3월 말, 과격파 성직자 모크타다 알-사드르를 추종하는 무장세력에 대한 소탕작전에 착수했습니다. 양측간에 치명적인 충돌이 발생했고, 이 과정에서 수 백명의 보안군은 싸우기를 거부하거나 무기를 무장세력에게 넘겼습니다.
한편, 누리 알-말리키 이라크 총리는 이라크 알-카에다가 패배할 것으로 그 어느때 보다 확신한다고 말했습니다.
알-말리키 총리는 16일 벨기에 브뤼셀의 유럽연합 본부를 방문하던 중 유럽의회 의원들을 상대로 한 연설에서 , 이라크 정부는 테러리즘을 물리칠 결연한 의지를 갖고 있다고 말했습니다.
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Iraqi officials say two senior commanders in Basra were replaced today (Wednesday), weeks after Iraqi security forces failed in efforts to crack down on Shi'ite militias in the southern city.
Officials say the military chief (Lieutenant General Mohan al-Fireji) and police chief (Major General Abdul-Jalil Khalaf) were reassigned to Baghdad. (Military spokesmen say the new military chief in Basra is Major General Mohammed Jawad Huwaidi and the new police chief is Major General Adil Daham.)
Iraq's security forces launched an offensive in late March against militants loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The effort triggered deadly clashes, during which hundreds of security force members refused to fight or gave their weapons to the militants.
In other news, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says he is more confident than ever that al-Qaida in Iraq will be defeated.
Mr. Maliki today (Wednesday) spoke to members of the European Parliament during a visit to EU headquarters in Brussels. He said his government is "determined to defeat terrorism."