Iraqi PM Has New Plan to End Sectarian Violence as Killings Continue
02 October 2006
Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says he has a new plan to end growing sectarian violence in his country.
Reports from Baghdad say he envisions creating local security commissions comprising representatives of the different political and religious groups.
The prime minister announced the plan after talks with top Shi'ite and Sunni Arab figures in his government.
Meanwhile, Iraqi officials say at least 13 people were killed in violence Monday in Baghdad and elsewhere. And, 50 mutilated bodies were recovered in Baghdad. Officials said the bodies appeared to be those of victims of sectarian death squads.
Gunmen also kidnapped 14 people from computer shops in central Baghdad.
In Iraq's parliament, lawmakers renewed the state of emergency for 30 more days.
The state of emergency has been in effect for nearly two years, since November 2004.
Reuters news agency reports the number of Iraqi civilians killed in violence may have jumped to a record high for the month of September.
The agency quoted Iraqi health ministry statistics that indicate 1,089 civilians died last month - an increase of 42 percent over the previous month.
The previous high reported by the ministry was 1,065 in July.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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