Meanwhile in Iraq: abuse, corruption and a rising tide of sectarian violence

Under pressure to take stronger action to put an end to sectarian violence, the ministry in charge of Iraq's police force is to change its top commanders and has already fired some 3,000 employees accused of corruption or rights abuses.

The Shia-led police force is widely accused of being infiltrated by sectarian militias that have been blamed for killing Sunni Arabs. Critics say Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been reluctant to move against the militias since many are linked to parties in his coalition.

Thousands have died this year in the cycle of killings between Shia and Sunni death squads. At least 14 people were killed yesterday, mostly in sectarian violence around the country. Also, the bodies of 17 Shia construction workers were found decapitated in an orchard outside Baghdad. The killings were apparently in retaliation for the kidnapping on Wednesday of three Sunni Arabs in Duluiyah by a Shia militia based in Balad, police said. The three were killed and their bodies burned.

When the current government was formed in May, Interior Minister Jawad Bolani was put in charge of police forces, partly because he had no militia links and it was hoped he would be free to rein them in. But his lack of militia connections has also given him less leverage to make changes. Spokesman Abdul-Karim Khalaf said the ministry intended to carry out a shake-up so stronger action could be taken to stop the violence.

"We are working on reshuffling the ministry's vital posts like [the leaders of the] police commandos and public order forces, as well as some undersecretaries," he added, without elaborating further.

He said that most of the 3,000 employees who had been removed since May were suspected of corruption or human rights violations, but did not specify whether they had been involved in militia activities. Up to 600 of them are to face prosecution, he said.

Earlier this month, an entire brigade of some 700 policemen was suspended from service and taken to barracks because of suspected militia sympathies. The commander of one of the brigade's battalions faces criminal prosecution and others are being investigated.

The troops were suspected of allowing Shia militias to carry out a mass kidnapping of some two dozen people from a frozen-food factory in Baghdad, at least seven of whom have since been found dead.

Authorities are also investigating the slaying on Friday of Col Salam al-Maamouri, a commander of the elite Scorpions police battalion that had been tasked with going after both Sunni insurgents and Shia militias. Col Al-Maamouri, a Shia, was killed along with an aide in his office in the southern city of Hillah when a bomb exploded.

Col Al-Maamouri was believed to have received threats from Shia militias in the area because he was taking action against them. The militias were demanding his forces stay out of areas under their control and pressing him to release jailed fighters. The Interior Ministry said the assassination appeared to have been "aided by elements inside his office".

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