Dozens killed in suicide bombings at Sunni militia meetings in Iraq
By Leila Fadel and Jinan Hussein
Sunday, July 18, 2010; 11:07 AM
Baghdad -- Two suicide bombers killed at least 45 people at gatherings of government-backed Sunni militia Sunday, hospital and security officials said.
The two morning attacks come in the midst of a continued political impasse more than four months after Iraq's national election.
The bloodiest bombing occurred southwest of Baghdad in the district of Radwaniyah. As dozens of "Sahwa" militiamen lined up outside an Iraqi Army office to collect paychecks, a suicide bomber killed at least 32 and wounded scores of others.
In Al Qaim, near the Syrian border, another suicide bomber entered a meeting of Sahwa, also known as Sons of Iraq, killing three leaders and wounding four others.
The latest attack on Sunni militiamen is part of what appears to be a continued effort by insurgent groups to destabilize an already war-torn nation as the political elite battle over top jobs in Iraq's next government. It is unclear when a government will be formed.
Sahwa has continuously come under attack by Sunni Islamist insurgent groups connected to al-Qaeda in Iraq. The Sahwa, many former Sunni insurgents, are seen as traitors for turning on al-Qaeda with the help of the U.S. military.
Many of the Sahwa or Awakening groups worry that the Iraqi government will fail to protect them as the U.S. military draws down and attacks by al-Qaeda will increase.
The blasts on Sunday, which injured more than 24, underscore Sahwa members' fears.
Since the election, Sunni Islamist insurgent groups have taken to slaughtering militia members and their families in their houses. Last week a Sahwa leader was slain in his home with his mother, wife, four children and two male relatives in the outskirts of Baghdad.
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