British leave, battle erupts over Basra
Turmoil like that in the southern port city could erupt elsewhere in Iraq as outside forces depart, say analysts.
from the March 23, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 3
Salaam al-Maliki, a Sadrist and former transport minister, blamed the fighting on a personal dispute between the director general of the electricity directorate and an engineer.
"The picture is not clear. It seems the engineer has brought members of his tribe. It is a tribal thing, not political."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in February that Britain would begin withdrawing a quarter of its 7,000 troops stationed mainly in and around Basra.
While Basra has not experienced the levels of violence seen in the capital Baghdad, criminal gangs have taken root amid fighting between rival Shiite militias and political parties for control of its vast oil wealth.
Basra, whose oil accounts for almost all of Iraq's state revenues since northern export pipelines have been crippled by bombings, is a major prize for all parties.
Meanwhile, in Baghdad, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was left shaken but unhurt Thursday on his first visit to the capital after a Katyusha rocket landed just meters from a building where he was giving a news conference.
Moments after telling journalists he might boost the UN's presence in Iraq because of improved security, a thunderous blast sent shockwaves through the conference venue, startling Ban and sending him ducking for cover behind a podium. Security guards grabbed Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki who was standing next to Ban at the time and was dusted by small bits of debris that fell from the ceiling.
• Material from Reuters was used in this report.
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