More than 40 people died and 255 were injured as fresh violence broke out in Basra, the southern city of Iraq and the third largest city with a population of approximately 2.6 million, where Shia militants continue to battle the security forces. Nouri Maliki, the prime minister of Iraq personally led the Basra operations and warned the militants to lay down their arms before 72 hours or face serious consequences which triggered attacks in other parts of Iraq spreading to Baghdad and districts of Gazaiza, Garma, Khmasamene, Hayania and Maqal.
Clashes between the militia and security forces continued in Baghdad which was fit by rockets in the Green Zone and areas near the diplomatic and government compound. Curfew was imposed to bring the situation under control.
The militant outbreak comes at a time when Iraq is about to face fresh elections and it is very strategic for the Sadrists to restrain the fighting and re-impose law, failing which their claim will be undermined that Iraq is moving towards appeasement and the country is forming a stable political atmosphere.
The British forces choose to retreat to a army base outside Basra and did not participate in the fighting to curb the insurgency.
Such civil wars and militant outbreaks have made normal life difficult for the civilians who live under constant fear of another militant outbreak; the war had brought unrest in the country ever since the American forces set foot in Iraq in 2003 and it has been 5 years of fear and terror that fills the minds of innocents citizens who want to live in peace and watch their children grow up. What the UN did for Iraq can be called as a ‘complete failure’ to restore normal life in the country.
VIA:BBC
