BASRA CALM AFTER SOFA APPROVAL

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 003785 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR ASEC KISL IZ SUBJECT: BASRA CALM AFTER SOFA APPROVAL REF: BASRA 00088 ¶1. (U) This is an REO Basra reporting cable. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Basra province remains calm after the approval of SOFA by the Council of Representatives (CoR) on November 27. Immediately after passage, the Iraqi Army 14th Division Commander had placed his troops on high alert pending public reaction to Friday prayers. Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) have taken pre-emptive steps against possible SOFA-related violence by carrying out major security operations over the past month, resulting in hundreds of arrests. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) The day after the SOFA was approved by the CoR, Iraqi Army 14th Division Commander Major General Abd al-Aziz al-Dalmi reported to the REO that there had been no notable violence in the province since the vote and that the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) had the situation well under control. Echoing comments made by Basra Operations Commander (BOC) Major General Mohammad Jawad Huwaydi (reftel),Aziz stated he was confident that any violence would be kept to a minimum. Aziz dismissed the possibility of large-scale violence, adding that he had put all ISF on high alert and spread out forces all over the province following an area assessment on November 26. ¶4. (SBU) Aziz also expressed his satisfaction with recent IP operations in Basra. Commenting on media reports that ISF had arrested 96 insurgents on November 27, Aziz gave full credit to the IP, explaining that the IA was not involved in the operation. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Respected by both the military and Basrawis, Aziz is known for his active involvement at the tactical level. He is often praised by BOC Commander Major General Mohammad and can be given much of the credit for the current stability enjoyed in Basra today. While future Friday prayers may still incite some violence, it appears that ISF in Basra are prepared to control it. END COMMENT. CROCKER