Asia Times: Iraq Violence Resurges Amid 'Surge'

[Hissyspit]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/ID21Ak05.html

Apr 21, 2007
Iraq violence resurges amid 'surge'
By Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON - Halfway through the implementation of President George W Bush's "surge" strategy to enhance security in Baghdad and Iraq's predominantly Sunni Muslim al-Anbar province, evidence that it is turning the tide nationwide is hard to come by.

While civilian deaths in the Iraqi capital have fallen from the levels before the surge was launched two months ago, the five horrific bombings that killed nearly 200 people in mainly Shi'ite areas of Baghdad on Wednesday marked one of the highest daily tolls since the US invasion more than four years ago.

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Indeed, 25 bodies, all showing signs of torture and summary execution, were found on Baghdad's streets on Wednesday, adding to mounting evidence over the past two weeks that Shi'ite militias have begun taking revenge.

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Violence has been particularly intense in the north. Tal Afar, which had been pacified last year by a counter-insurgency effort that has been cited as a model for the "surge" strategy, suffered the war's single deadliest attack last month when a suicide truck bombing killed 152 people in a predominantly Shi'ite area. The bombing set off revenge killings of some 70 Sunni civilians by Shi'ite militia and police.

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