Some 30,000 Iraqi soldiers and police are to launch a military assault against Al-Qaeda fighters and insurgents in Diyala province from August 1, army and police officers said Wednesday, reported AFP on Wednesday.
Having long borders with neighboring Iran, Diyala and its capital Baquba are Iraq’s most dangerous regions with insurgents regularly carrying out attacks, including by female suicide bombers.
“Yes. Diyala remains the most dangerous province in Iraq,” said Colonel Ali al-Karkhi, commanding officer of Iraqi forces in Khan Beni Sad, a town near Baquba which has been torn apart by the violence.
“But understand that it is a mini-Iraq. There are Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, Christians,” the colonel told AFP in an interview.
But “foreign countries have sown the disorder,” lamented Colonel Karkhi, pointing a finger at Shiite Iran, which shares a border with Diyala.
“We captured five people (Iraqis) who 45 days ago were in Iran for training. They receive instructions from the Iranian services and their business is to kill people,” he said.
Karkhi said the militants apart from receiving weapons, are paid three million dinars (2,400 dollars) monthly. “It is good money,” he said.
He said security forces usually display the names and photographs of wanted people at check-points.
“The problem is that when we apply pressure they flee to Iran,” Karkhi said.