For years, the southern governorates of Iraq have been ailed by tribal strife that kills dozens of citizens each year. Despite placing army and security units in areas of dispute, the Iraqi government has failed to curb clan violence.
In the latest wave of clashes, a senior Iraqi officer was killed on Wednesday while mediating to resolve a tribal conflict in Iraq's oil-rich south.
General Brigadier and the head of the Intelligence Department of the Sumer Operation Command, Ali Jamil Abd Khalaf, was killed during the resolution of a tribal dispute in Dhi Qar's al-Shatra district, Iraq’s Security Media Cell said in a tweet.
In Dhi Qar, local authorities announced the imposition of a curfew in al-Shatra district until further notice.
Dhi Qar Governor Muhammad Al-Ghazi announced the curfew against the background of clan conflicts.
The governor called on the security services in the governorate and the operations command to “take their role in arresting the perpetrators and imposing security in al-Shatrah.”
In a statement carried by the local Nasiriyah TV, Al-Ghazi revealed that “a security operation has been launched to pursue security violators in al-Shatra after the killing of Khalaf.”
According to the governor, the operation would be carried out with the support of an anti-terror regiment and two special forces.
Dhi Qar lawmakers strongly criticized the role of the security leaders in the governorate and their failure to impose security.
“If the solution is to dismiss the security leaders, let them be dismissed, Dhi Qar is now on hot tin, lives lost and security lost,” Dhi Qar parliamentarian and former labor minister Adel Al-Rikabi told reporters.
“Security leaders are part of this dangerous situation,” noted Al-Rikabi, adding that security officials are taking time to negotiate between clans while abandoning their security and military duties.
