The Wire

The Russian government today confirmed that four of its diplomats had been executed by an Al Qa’ida linked group in Iraq. Although such executions have become relativly common-place in Iraq these latest executions are significant in that they took place after the Russian government had refused to meet demands that it withdraw from Chechnya and free Muslim prisoners in Russia. Today the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Malikin also announced his “national reconciliation” plan to tackle the Iraqi insurgency.