From Holden:

Government officials in southern Iraq threaten to secede:

The Basra, Misan and Dhi Qar governorates intend to form a new province, the Qatar-based television network [al-Jazeera] said, citing unidentified Iraqi officials. The officials cited Basra’s Deputy Governor Salam Uda al-Maliki as saying yesterday he will make the announcement. Maliki didn’t say when the split will be made.

“This reaction comes in response to the crimes committed against Iraqis by an illegal and unelected government and occupation forces,” al-Jazeera cited Ali Hamud al-Musawi, head of the Misan governorate council, as saying yesterday. The occupation forces “claimed they came to liberate Iraq, but it turned out that they have come to kill Iraqis,” Musawi said.