New Iraq security force planned

Iraq’s government will create a new security service specifically geared toward tackling the nearly 15-month-old insurgency in the country, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said in Baghdad.

The new service, the General Security Directorate, “will annihilate those terrorists groups, God willing”, Allawi said during a news conference.

Since taking power, Allawi’s government has said it intends to crack down on militants who have caused chaos with assassinations, bombings, sabotage and other attacks.

The violence has hampered efforts to rebuild and recover after war and years of international sanctions.

The government has passed emergency laws giving Allawi the power to declare curfews and impose limited martial law to curb the violence and has repeatedly threatened the militants.