19 dead in violent attacks near Baghdad
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-03 21:09

Hundreds have been killed in the violence unleashed by the Feb. 22 bombing of a revered Shiite shrine in the central city of Samarra and reprisal attacks against Sunni mosques. An extraordinary daytime curfew and vehicle restrictions last weekend helped curb the worst of the sectarian killing, but attacks continued this week.

South of Baghdad, a mortar shell slammed into a market Friday in Mahmoudiya, killing one person and injuring another, police Capt. Rasheed al-Samaraie said. And police found two more handcuffed, blindfolded, bullet-riddled bodies in Iskandariyah, said Capt. Muthana

The recent surge of violence has complicated negotiations for a new, broad-based government after December parliamentary elections. U.S. officials consider an inclusive government essential if they are to start withdrawing troops before the end of the year.

Sunni Arabs walked out of the talks last week, accusing the Shiite-led government and security forces of standing by as Sunni mosques were attacked. On Thursday, the main Sunni bloc joined Kurdish and secular parties in demanding that the dominant Shiite alliance withdraw its nomination of al-Jaafari for another term as prime minister, threatening the country with new political turmoil.

Al-Jaafari won the nomination by a single vote during an election Feb. 12 among Shiite lawmakers who won seats in the Dec. 15 parliamentary election. He defeated Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi in large part because of al-Sadr's support.

The idea of a prime minister who owes his position to the young radical has alarmed not only Sunni Arabs and Kurds, but also several key figures in the Shiite alliance. Abdul-Mahdi was the candidate of Shiite Alliance leader Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, who often is at odds with al-Sadr.

But the alliance does not know how to resolve the problem without risking a huge fight with al-Sadr, who is revered among impoverished Shiite militias.

The move against al-Jaafari drew sharp opposition from al-Sadr.

"We will not abandon al-Jaafari," said a close aide to the firebrand Shiite cleric. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the dispute.

Reda Jawad Taqi, an al-Hakim aide, said representatives of the largest parliamentary bloc would meet al-Jaafari opponents to "learn what is behind their position. We will not reject their demand (to meet). Everything is negotiable."

The Shiites won 130 of Parliament's 275 seats in December elections, giving them the largest bloc of lawmakers and the first chance to form a government 錕斤拷 but not enough to govern without partners.

Also Thursday, gunmen attacked the disabled car of Iraq's top Sunni politician, Adnan al-Dulaimi, killing one bodyguard and wounding five after al-Dulaimi sped away in another vehicle. It was not clear whether the assault was an assassination attempt, and the Sunni leader refused to blame anyone.