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Security incidents in Iraq – Sunday February 27, 2011

News of the Day for Sunday, February 27, 2011

Posted on IRAQ TODAY

Reported Security Incidents

Beiji

Further information is available on the attack yesterday on Iraq’s largest oil refinery. The death toll is now reported as 1 worker. “Dr. Abdul Jabbar al-Halfi, a professor at Basra University’s oil engineering department and frequent visitor to the Beiji refinery, pointed out that visitors to Beiji need a special badge to even get within a mile (2 kilometers) of the facility and suggested it might have been an inside job.” Technicians say they can get the facility back on line in one week. [We shall see.] Meanwhile, the refinery accounts for 1/4 of Iraq’s fuel production and the incident could exacerbate the electricity shortage which contributes to current unrest.

Amara

Twenty seven demonstrators are injured in clashes with security forces.

Sulaimaniya

Five armed men are killed by security forces. One of the men blows himself up; others are shot dead.

Other News of the Day

Baghdad is placed under a curfew to curb further demonstrations.

Meanwhile, PM Nuri al-Maliki takes decisive action in response to the demonstrations, (not). He gives his cabinet ministers 100 days to shape up or he’ll give them a negative evaluation. [That should put an end to any further unrest. -- C] Protest organizers are calling for a national “Day of Regret” on Friday, March 4 to mark the anniversary of the parliamentary elections,which have so far failed to produce effective government.