Iraq gets Sunni defence head

Iraq’s leaders reached a deal on contested cabinet posts on Saturday to break months of deadlock, agreeing on a Sunni Arab Defence mini...

Iraq’s leaders reached a deal on contested cabinet posts on Saturday to break months of deadlock, agreeing on a Sunni Arab Defence minister to combat insurgents who have launched a blitz of bomb attacks over the past week.

Suicide bombers struck again in Baghdad, targeting a foreign civilian security convoy at a busy intersection. US officials said two suicide car bombs exploded beside the convoy, killing 22 people including two Americans.

At least two of the security convoy’s vehicles were reduced to smouldering wrecks, and black smoke billowed into the sky. One bleeding foreigner staggered away, clutching his head.

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Since Iraq’s political factions unveiled a new cabinet last week, guerrillas have mounted a wave of deadly attacks, killing more than 300 people and defying government predictions that the insurgency was crumbling.

Al Qaeda’s wing in Iraq said in an Internet statement it was behind the convoy attack. Many Iraqis say the delay in forming a government after the January 30 elections allowed the insurgents to regroup. Even when the cabinet was sworn in last Tuesday — more than three months after the polls — several top posts were vacant.

Sources in the two strongest blocs in parliament, the Shia-led United Iraqi Alliance and the powerful Kurdish coalition, said on Saturday agreement had been reached on filling the vacant ministries, including Defence and oil.

They said Saadoun al-Dulaimi, a Sunni Arab, would be the new Defence minister while Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum, a Shia, would run the Oil Ministry.

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Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari confirmed a deal had been reached on five vacant cabinet posts and said it would be put to parliament for approval on Sunday. Talks are still going on to finalise the full line-up of deputy prime ministers. — Reuters