Iraqi Sunni-backed bloc to end parliament boycott

Jan 29, 2012, 17:06 GMT

Baghdad - Iraq's Sunni-backed Iraqiya political bloc on Sunday decided to end a boycott of parliament, more than a month after tensions broke out between the group and the Shiite bloc headed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

'We decided to return to parliament sessions starting Tuesday,' said Iraqiya spokeswoman Maysoon al-Damluji.

The announcement followed a meeting by the group's leaders. But they have yet to decide whether the bloc's ministers would return to cabinet meetings.

Tensions between al-Maliki's Shiite-dominated government and the Sunni-backed bloc began in December after the withdrawal of US troops form the country.

Al-Maliki's government issued an arrest warrant for Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi and accused him of being behind a November explosion, which al-Maliki alleged had targeted him.

The premier also asked parliament to sack his Sunni deputy, Saleh al-Mutlaq, for describing al-Maliki as a 'dictator.'

Both al-Hashemi and al-Mutlaq belong to the Iraqiya Bloc.

Although he said the charges against al-Hashemi were not political, Al-Maliki was seen to be targeting his Sunni political rivals in an attempt to consolidate Shiite control of the government in the wake of the US withdrawal.

Al-Hashemi has been staying in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region since December, and demanded that the trial be held in Kurdistan with Arab League members present.

The political dispute comes amid increasing attacks in the country, mostly targeting Shiites, and raising concerns that the country could return to the sectarian violence of 2006-07 in which tens of thousands of people died.