Former Iraqi allies turn against US

The Australian

IRAQ is threatened by a new wave of sectarian violence as members of the "Sons of Iraq" - the Sunni Awakening militias that were paid by the US to fight al-Qa'ida - begin to rejoin the insurgency.

If the spike in violence continues, it could affect US President Barack Obama's pledge to withdraw all combat troops from Iraqi cities by the end of June. All US troops are due to leave the country by 2012.

A leading member of the Political Council of Iraqi Resistance, which represents six Sunni militant groups, said: "The resistance has now returned to the field and is intensifying its attacks against the enemy. The number of coalition forces killed is on the rise."

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The US had been paying nearly 100,000 Sons of Iraq to participate in its security "surge", but handed over responsibility for their welfare to the Iraqi Government last month.

Their pay has since dried up. Only 5000 members of the Awakening have been employed by the Iraqi security forces. Ginger Cruz, the US's deputy inspector-general for Iraq reconstruction, said disillusioned Sunnis could join forces with al-Qa'ida as well as resistance groups......