Rebels begin weapons handover

By The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times

JOHN MOORE / AP An Iraqi soldier carries weapons turned in yesterday by militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad.

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At three Sadr City police stations, piles of AK-47 assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, mortars and other weapons grew throughout the day.

They were surrendered for cash — ranging from $5 for a hand grenade to $1,000 for a heavy machine gun — as part of an agreement between the Iraqi government and U.S. military and followers of anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Progress at the designated police stations, where Iraqi security officials stood waiting with stacks of crisp dollar bills, was slow, and U.S. and Iraqi officials were cautious in expressing hope that the agreement would end violence in Sadr City, where U.S. forces have clashed repeatedly with members of al-Sadr's militia, the Mahdi Army.

The five-day weapons buyback is scheduled to be followed by a $500 million reconstruction program in the sprawling slum of 2 million people.

The hoped-for pacification of Sadr City represents another stage in the U.S. military's effort to reclaim insurgent-controlled areas before nationwide elections scheduled for January. Over the past two months, the U.S. military, aided by Iraqi forces, have retaken control of the cities of Talafar and Samarra.

Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division, which has responsibility over Baghdad, ceased patrols in Sadr City on Sunday night and were operating only at traffic checkpoints yesterday. No fighting was reported in the district, although two American soldiers died in an attack elsewhere in the capital.

Kareem Shamaisem, a 42-year-old owner of a window-glass store who turned over two sniper rifles for $630 each, said, "I follow the laws and rules of the 'marjaiya' (the Shiite religious elite) and the orders of Muqtada al-Sadr, so I gave up these weapons."

Abdulla Abu Ghassan, a bakery owner, received $1,200 after turning in a grenade launcher, an assault rifle and ammunition, all of which he said he had kept after serving in the now-disbanded Iraqi army.

"I'm not connected to the Mahdi Army, but I think this is a good opportunity to end the fighting and achieve peace," he said. "The situation was very good yesterday. We did not hear any explosions, and we slept quietly. We really hope to live a normal life."

Col. Mahdi Charek Zayer, commander of the 306th Iraqi National Guard Battalion, said the turnout for the weapons exchange was "fairly good today, but we hope tomorrow people will realize that the process is real and more will come forth."
 
Authorities did not immediately release full figures on the day's cache. But at the Habibiya police station, an Iraqi National Guard officer reported receiving 80 rocket-propelled grenades, more than 30 mortar rounds, 20 heavy machine guns, land mines and explosives.

"The people of Sadr City revealed their true good intentions today, and the money we are giving them only represents a gift of consideration to the people," said the officer, who identified himself only as Maj. Yehia.

The agreement, if it holds, should smooth al-Sadr's entry into the developing Iraqi political process. The cleric has offered mixed signals about his willingness to join in the parliamentary elections.

Previous cease-fire and disarmament agreements with al-Sadr have fallen apart amid accusations of bad faith on both sides. An additional stumbling block could be the refusal of some die-hard Mahdi Army fighters to heed their leader.

"We hope things will work out," interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi told reporters. "If it doesn't, we will have to do whatever is necessary for the rule of law to prevail."