Azzaman, March 1, 2013

The violence that engulfed the Province of Diyala in the aftermath of the 2003-U.S. invasion has turned it into "a city of the orphans," according to Governor Umer al-Humeiri.

Humeiri made the remarks as he pleaded with the government to give his province preferential treatment in social and security benefits.

"The Province of Diyala has become the city of orphans as a result of sectarian violence it has suffered."

"In terms of the number of orphans, the Province comes at the forefront of Iraqi provinces," Humeiri said.

Humeiri gave no figures but it is reported that there more orphans in Iraq in proportion to the number of the population than any other country in the world.

"(My) Province is number one in Iraq when it comes to the total number of orphans in the country. It is almost impossible for most of these orphans to make ends meet," he said.

"We ask the central government to increase its support for the orphans who make an important portion of the provincial population through its social security programs," he added.

Diyala was until recently a major stronghold of Iraq’s branch of al-Qaeda and has been the scene of some of the most ferocious violence in the country.

Its provincial capital, Baaquba, to the north-east of Baghdad, is relatively quiet but violence is still reported in provincial suburbs and towns.

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