Iraq's al-Maliki calls for unity as US troops withdraw from towns

Jun 30, 2009, 8:34 GMT

Baghdad - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Tuesday called for vigilance and unity, as the country marked the planned withdrawal of US troops from Iraqi cities and towns.

'Bless you. Bless you for your efforts to achieve this great success,' al-Maliki told the ministers of defence, interior and national security and associated officers from the security services, in remarks broadcast on state television.

Al-Maliki's government has declared Tuesday, the deadline for US soldiers to withdraw from urban areas in Iraq according to an Iraqi- US agreement signed in 2008, a National Sovereignty Day.

Huge crowds gathered in Baghdad's largest park on Monday night to celebrate the withdrawal. Expatriate Iraqi singers Abid Falek, Salah Hassan and Qasim Sultan returned to the capital to perform.

A wave of lethal attacks has preceded the withdrawal. On Monday, leading Sunni politician Jalil Matar was among nine people killed in a spate of bombings across the country.

His murder followed the assassination two weeks ago of Harith al- Obeidi, the leader of the Iraq's largest coalition of Sunni parties, and came at the end a string of attacks that have left hundreds dead in recent weeks.

'Terrorists have targeted Iraq, its unity and the unity of the Iraqi people,' al-Maliki said Tuesday. 'They are trying to return Iraq to sectarian violence with a terrorist attack here and there, by targeting this sect or that. But we praise God that the age of sectarianism is over.'

'For the sake of the martyrs and wounded, we must bind together as a country to sustain the successes we've achieved,' al-Maliki told the assembled security officials.

Iraqi security forces are engaged in their biggest deployment since the US-led invasion of the country six years ago. An additional 120,000 Iraqi police and soldiers will deploy to Baghdad alone.

More than 130,000 US troops will remain in Iraq, and many of them will continue to work in Iraqi units.

'After June 30, with US combat forces out of cities and villages, localities, we will still be in Iraq,' US Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill said.

Al-Maliki said little about the continued presence of US soldiers in the country, but urged the Iraqi security services to use a firm hand to keep the country safe.

'Some today talk about the detainees and their rights,' he continued. 'We have not ignored those concerns. But we ask them why they would ignore ... the innocent victims of terrorism.'

He asked the assembled officers and ministers 'to continue performing their duties in accordance with the Constitution, law, and human rights. Because today we stand together with all Iraq against the murderers and criminals.'