Sunnis end boycott of Iraqi parliament

Iraq's Sunni-backed political alliance ended a parliament boycott yesterday, but Iraqiya bloc ministers will still stay away from Cabinet meetings to protest arrests and prosecutions of Sunni officials.

The decision underlines the sectarian tensions in the Shiite-dominated government. The crisis erupted last month after the new government issued an arrest warrant for the Sunni Vice President, Tareq al-Hashemi, on terrorism charges.

In protest, the Iraqiya bloc boycotted parliament and Cabinet sessions.

AP