The Iraqi Interior Ministry has ordered the return of checkpoints
throughout Baghdad, the target of the Al Qaida network. The ministry has
also assigned reinforcements to inspect cars and pedestrians near critical
facilities, government buildings and other sites.
"The government adopted a series of security measures to prevent the
deteriorating security situation, including army and police inspections,"
Ali Al Musawi, spokesman for Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, said.
Officials said the return of the checkpoints and other measures came in
late April amid a series of mass-casualty suicide bombings in Baghdad. They
said the Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry determined that the AQI
strikes were threatening the stability of the capital as well as other parts
of the country.
Police and army troops have returned to manual inspection of cars and
pedestrians at Baghdad checkpoints. Officials said wand-like bomb detectors
procured from a British company in 2008 were replaced after they were deemed
ineffective.
"The security forces discovered belatedly that the explosive detectors
failed to perform its task, and that car bombs were crossing checkpoints,"
Iraqi security analyst Salim Jalil said.
Jalil said security forces have been ordered to thoroughly check cars
and trucks that enter Baghdad. He said this has sparked huge traffic jams
around the capital.
The Interior Ministry has also been deploying special operation forces
to stop AQI bombings. The black-clad troops have been used to patrol Shi'ite
neighborhoods, a key target of Al Qaida.
"All the security forces on the streets belong to the police or the
army," Al Musawi said. "There are no other security apparatuses."
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