Iraq's citizens told to hand in their guns

Iraq's citizens told to hand in their guns

Wednesday 9th April, 2008
Thursday 10th April, 2008
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Iraq's security forces have been ordered by the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, to collect arms from civilians and political parties in Baghdad.

Citizens have been urged to hand in all weapons as well as explosives within three days from April 9th.

Those surrendering their weapons would be given money rewards while those who refuse could be charged.

Baghdad's Shia-dominated Kazimiyah district has been declared a weapons-free area in accordance with a government order to demilitarise Iraq's holy cities.

Kazimiyah, which houses a shrine of Shia Imam Mussa al-Kazim, is one of the strongholds of the Mahdi Army militia loyal to Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

In the southern city of Basra, security forces were ordered to target armed people and groups who had not handed in their weapons by next Tuesday.

The Iraqi government has allowed a 10-day deadline in Basra for people to hand in weapons.

Basra has been the scene of fighting between Iraqi troops and Shia militias, mainly Mahdi Army, since the government launched a crackdown on March 25.