General Ali Hassan al-Majid, a cousin of Saddam Hussein, has formed a military council grouping major tribal leaders in southern Iraq. The southern tribes may play a pivotal role in determining the tide of the current fierce fighting in the outskirts of major southern cities like Basra, Nasiriya, Kerbala land Najaf.

Iraq Press has learned that many tribal leaders in exile who have escaped Saddam's reign of terror have headed towards Iraq to entice the tribes at home to rise against the government.

(Iraq Press)