Basrah

"Justifying the lack of any interference by British troops to stop political parties, militias and gangs from spreading unrest in the city, a former British commander said that his troops did not want to breach the “traditions” of Basra’s society. The government is using similar arguments. An official in the Supreme Security Committee of the province’s council has denied the existence of organized religious and sectarian crime against women, claiming that 85% of murder incidences are “honor crimes”. Declining to reveal the number of “slaughtered” women, a leading source in Basra’s police said that disclosing such information would create turmoil in the city."
Healing Iraq