BAGHDAD — Iraq has transferred large numbers of volunteers, many former loyalists to Saddam Hussein, to its security force.

The Iraqi Interior Ministry has enabled 9,000 members of the Concerned Local Citizens Group to become police or soldiers, Middle East Newsline reported. The U.S. military said the 9,000 auxiliary police officers, also known as Al Safwa, or "Awakening," were screened and accepted into the regular security forces.

"Around 9,000 members of the Awakening have been entered into a process in which they are in a queue to begin their training programs," U.S. military spokesman Rear Adm. Gregory Smith said.

In a news conference on Jan. 27, Smith said the Awakening members had applied to join the regular Iraqi security forces after being less than 18 months in the auxiliary police. There are about 16,000 Awakening members, many of whom are deemed former loyalists of the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein.

Awakening forces began in the Anbar province in September 2006 as part of a U.S. effort against Al Qaida. Those in Anbar have been in the police or Iraq Army for several months.

"10,000 to 20,000 have already gone through a training program and are serving as police officers or members of the army," Smith said.

The members receive about $300 per month to patrol neighborhoods, man checkpoints and help Iraqi and U.S. soldiers find insurgents and weapons caches. The U.S. military has reported more than 80,000 auxiliary officers, 80 percent of whom Sunni, serving in 130 units throughout Iraq.

Officials said about 50 percent of the auxiliary officers seek to join the regular security forces. They said about half of them would be accepted.

Over the last three months, the Awakening groups have become a major target of Al Qaida. Al Qaida has attacked auxiliary police stations and checkpoints in the Diyala province in northern Iraq.

"There have been attempts to do so [infiltrate Awakening by Al Qaida]," Smith said. "We recognize that. We also recognize that the Awakening groups are well-led, are well-civilized and [have] a strong tribal and communal connection. They know precisely who their members are. Our forces work very closely to weed out individuals who show the least signs of disloyalty to the overall efforts."

Officials said the Awakening members have contributed to a significant increase in the Iraqi security forces over the last three months. In January 2008, more than 1,800 officers, trained in counter-insurgency and investigations, graduated from the National Police Training Center in Numaniyah.

More than 2,000 cadets have graduated from the Habbaniyah Police Training Center in Anbar. The facility offers three specialized schools: convoy operations and street survivability, a train-the-trainer school, and an officers transition integration program.

"These officers will enrich and expand the capabilities of their nation's security forces," Smith said. "These capabilities matter and are having positive effects in the lines of Iraqi citizens."