Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Militants carve up Baghdad into sectarian war zone

Baghdad, a city known for centuries as the "City of Peace", is rapidly disintegrating into ruthless battle-zones carved out by sectarian militants vying for control of Iraq's capital.

Although government forces maintain a presence in all areas, death squads from Sunni and Shi'ite sects are widely believed to be carrying out assassinations and "executions" of people in rival communities, forcing thousands of others from their homes.

The city of seven million rarely has a break from the carnage of daily bombings. Dozens of bodies are recovered from its streets, many tortured and bound before being shot.

On Tuesday, dozens of gunmen dragged as many as 100 men out of an office run by the Higher Education Ministry. The minister said they were taken to a Shi'ite area where a powerful militia, accused by Sunnis of targeting them, is based.

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