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Iraq Announces Over 90 Arrests in al-Qaida Sweep

   VOA News 24 December 2010

   Iraq's defense ministry says security forces have arrested 93 suspects
   in an al-Qaida crackdown in the western Anbar province.
   A  defense  ministry spokesman, Major General Mohammed al-Askari, said
   Thursday the arrests included 60 wanted men.
   He  said  the detentions resulted from a series of raids launched late
   Tuesday  that  included  help  from  police,  the army, pro-government
   tribal forces and members of an anti-al-Qaida militia.
   Earlier this week, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki named security
   as  one  of  his  top  priorities  after  parliament  approved cabinet
   ministers for his new government.
   Meanwhile,  Iraqi  officials  say gunmen using silencers have killed a
   brigadier  general  and  wounded  a  police  lieutenant  colonel. Both
   incidents occurred late Wednesday in Baghdad.

   Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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