ANOTHER IRAQI SLAIN FOR SERVING HIS COUNTRY

S E C R E T BASRAH 000024

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 4/9/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER KCRM PHUM UK IZ
SUBJECT: ANOTHER IRAQI SLAIN FOR SERVING HIS COUNTRY

REF: BASRAH 023

CLASSIFIED BY: James Donegan, Acting Team Leader, Basrah PRT,
Department of State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)



CLASSIFIED BY: James Donegan, Acting Team Leader, Basrah PRT,
Department of State. REASON: 1.4(b),(d).


1. (S/NOFORN) On the evening of April 7, Assaf Alnahi, a Basrah
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) locally engaged contractor
(LES) was assassinated in central Basrah. In addition to his
duties with the PRT, Assaf worked with the MND/SE legal office
and was the judicial assistant to the Basrah Chief Justice. He
was also a close contact of the U.S. Regional Embassy Office
(REO) in Basrah and was scheduled to participate in the State
Department's International Visitor Program this June. He leaves
behind his wife and two children, one age five and one less than
two months old.


2. (S/NOFORN) Reports indicate that Assaf was in a cafe when
two males approached and shot him at least 10 times in the head
and chest. The assailants fled immediately. What is clear is
that Assaf was assassinated for his well-known and lengthy
association with the Coalition, first with the British military
and then with the PRT and the REO. He was a member of the PRT's
Rule of Law (ROL) Sector Working Group and a key advisor on
Coalition efforts to cleanse local police of militia and
criminal elements. Despite threats to his life, which he
confided last week were on the increase, he discounted PRT and
REO concerns, insisting that his family, tribal, and
professional connections were enough to protect him.


3. (S/NOFORN) Unfortunately, this type of killing happens all
too often in Basrah and throughout Iraq, but the impact of
Assaf's assassination cannot be overstated. The security
situation in Basrah precludes almost all civilian Coalition
personnel from traveling into the city. Therefore our ROL
efforts depended (perhaps too heavily) on Assaf for information
and contacts. The PRT has asked its remaining LES to keep a low
profile for now. It remains to be seen whether our contacts
will continue to risk their lives to meet PRT and REO officials
at the Basrah Air Station and the Basrah Palace Compound, both
of which are staked-out by the militants.

Comment


4. (S/NOFORN) This has been a very bloody week for the
Coalition in Basrah, including the loss of six British soldiers
and one interpreter. In briefings on the transition to
Provincial Iraqi Control, MND(SE) paints a picture of increasing
"consent" for "freedom of movement" for Coalition forces in the
region. However, recent events belie this assertion and raise
serious questions about the reality on the ground for the
average Basrah citizen. (See reftel.)


5. (S/NOFORN) Assaf Alnahi's loss has had a profound impact on
many PRT, REO, and MND(SE) personnel who had developed a strong
professional and personal relationship with this fine young
Iraqi. Assaf shared our vision for a better Iraq and a better
Basrah and gave his life for this cause. His assassination is
meant to send a warning to those cooperating with the Coalition,
particularly the middle class. It follows the March 30
assassination attempt of a close REO contact, Radio Sawa
reporter Majid al-Braken, and the assassinations of a REO
neighbor and REO laborer, which occurred last month. If this
trend continues, it will be difficult for us to maintain local
contacts. But for now, we mourn our friend.

BONO