Baghdad ready to receive security file – officials

Baghdad-Feature BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: A number of security and political officials asserted the possibility of receiving the security file in Baghdad after securing forces’ success in receiving the security file of 13 provinces. Many politicians and military men as well as citizens who live in Baghdad are looking forward to the day when Iraqi forces took over security in Baghdad after receiving the security file of 2/3 of Iraqi provinces, however some citizens asserted the necessity of exerting further efforts to raise the forces’ capabilities and provide them with more advanced weapons. Mou’ayad Nejm – 40 – a private sector worker, said that Iraqi forces are ready to implement any mission and they proved their abilities in western Baghdad’ regions. “The forces include soldiers and officers from the former army and they have a great experience in maintaining security and stability,” Nejm said. For his part, Star al-Bahadli, a citizen from Sadr City, said Iraqi forces are capable of maintaining security in Baghdad if they were supported with more weapons and personnel as well as state-of-art equipments. Last October 29, US forces handed over the security file of Wassit province to Iraq‘s security forces amid celebrations. Wassit is the thirteenth province to take over responsibility for security operations from the U.S. forces. Feras Omar, an owner of mobile shop, expressed doubt over the ability of Iraqi forces to receive the security file in Baghdad now. He called for making more efforts to rehabilitate the national forces before giving them the responsibility. The spokesman for the for the Baghdad operations command General Qassem Atta expressed optimism over the closeness of receiving the security file in Baghdad. He told IraqiNews.com that there is an agreed timetable between the government and the Multinational forces over receiving the security file in Baghdad, noting that the time has not been determined yet. However, the media adviser of the Muli-National Forces al-Muqdad Jabraeel denied any timetable in this regard, but he confessed to the presence of an agreement between the Iraqi government and the Multinational forces to hand over the security file throughout Iraq. The Defense Ministry voiced readiness to implement the orders if the general command of the armed forces if there is any agreement to hand over the security file in the capital. “The ministry’s mission is to protect people from any danger,” Mohamed al-Askari, the spokesman for the ministry, told IraqiNews.com, asserting that the ministry will be ready to receive any security file of any Iraqi province. Baghdad is the capital of Iraq and Baghdad province. With a municipal population estimated at 7,000,000, it is the largest city in Iraq. It is the second largest city in the Arab world (after Cairo) and the second largest city in southwest Asia (after Tehran). Located on the Tigris River, the city dates back to at least the 8 th century, and probably to pre-Islamic times. Once the center of Dar al-Islam (the abode of Islam), Baghdad has been a center of violent conflict since 2003 because of the ongoing Iraq war. Baghdad‘s population is a mix of Sunnis and Shiites. It is mainly divided into two sides: the west (al-Karkh) and the east (al-Rasafa).