Allawi Warns About Rebel Infiltrations

Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi issued an unusually strong warning Friday to Iraq’s neighbors to crack down on insurgents infiltrating from their territory, saying that his country’s patience was wearing thin.

Iraqi officials have repeatedly accused Syria and Iran of supporting the insurgents waging a campaign of violence against American forces and Allawi’s U.S.-backed government. Both countries have denied helping militants or allowing them to cross into Iraq.

But Allawi’s comments to the U.S.-funded Al Iraqiya television channel were among his toughest yet. “Some countries are hosting people who are involved in harming the Iraqi people,” he said, without naming nations.

He said his government had contacted the countries and was awaiting replies. “According to the answers we will decide what the next step will be,” he said.

“Iraq is not a weak country. Iraq is passing through a difficult period, but Iraq can respond in a strong way if needed.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. 1st Infantry Division detained 49 suspected insurgents during a midnight raid in the town of Duluiya, 45 miles north of Baghdad, the military said Friday. The sweep appeared to be the latest in a series of counterinsurgency campaigns in the Sunni Triangle of central Iraq.

In new violence, a car bomb exploded next to a taxi carrying Iraqi national guardsmen in the town of Baiji, 125 miles north of Baghdad. A passing car bore the brunt of the blast, killing its two occupants, and five guardsmen were wounded, Maj. Neal O’Brien said.

Also Friday, a senior member of the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq denied a report by the Al Jazeera satellite channel that all 700 workers for the electoral commission in the northern city of Mosul resigned Thursday because of threats.

“The report is not true,” Abdel Lami said. “Only two people resigned, and they are the head of the [electoral] office in Mosul and an accountant.”

He said they stepped down “for personal reasons” and not because of threats.