Iraqi president praises Shi’ite and Kurdish militias

IRAQ’S president publicly praised Shi’ite and Kurdish militias Wednesday in a statement that could further antagonise Sunni Arabs and fuel fears of sectarian strife.

The divide between Iraq’s Sunni and Shi’ite Arabs further widened when Sunni Arab leaders threatened to boycott a constitutional committee, a move which would deal a blow to the Shi’ite-led government’s efforts to include them in the political process.

Attacks killed at least nine Iraqis as the Sunni-dominated insurgency pressed on with its campaign against the Shi’ite-led government. The bodies of six others also were found.