ARBIL

Some 30 members of the ruling Baath party have been killed in the southern city of Nasiriya in separate but organised attacks dissidents carried out recently.

Nasiriya is one of the most restive cities in southern Iraq. The raids on Baath party members were mounted at night and most of the Baathists were killed inside their homes.

The operation, which has stunned the authorities, is reportedly one of the largest against the Baath party, which has been ruling Iraqi single-handedly for over three decades.

The authorities claim to have about one million registered Baath party members. The Baath party is a military and security organisation and members mount patrols in civilian quarters to hunt down army deserters, dissidents and political opponents.

The Iraq Press has learned that the authorities have so far failed to apprehend any of the attackers. Party organisations and security services in southern Iraq are said to be on heightened alert.

Meantime, an armed dissident group is reported to have killed a security officer in the southern city of Basra, at the head of the Gulf.

Informed sources identified the officer as Lt. Falah Saad Ali, reputed for his ruthlessness and savage behaviour. He was recently accused of executing Mohammed al-Fureiji in a raid on a residential district in Basra.

Al-Fureiji resisted arrest and was killed in a gun battle in the same district.