Sheikh Qasim al-Janabi's brazen murder sparks Sunni outrage in Iraq

The brazen kidnapping and slaying of a Sunni sheikh and eight members of his entourage in the Iraqi capital Baghdad was met with outrage by Sunni politicians, deepening sectarian distrust and threatening to tear apart the country's fragile government.

Sunni politicians said that they would boycott parliament after the killing of Sheikh Qasim al-Janabi, a moderate Sunni tribal leader, his son and the other members of their convoy, blaming the Friday night assault on Shiite militias that they say the government has allowed to act with impunity. Discussions continued into the night as to whether Sunni parties should pull out of the government altogether.

Such a move would strike a blow to the inclusive Iraqi government that Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi created under pressure from the US, which had tied his efforts to reach out to Sunnis to military assistance.

While both Iraqi and US officials say that bringing in Iraq's Sunnis and assisting them in turning against Islamic State is an essential part of defeating the militant group, Sunni politicians say they have heard promises but seen little action.

"The bullet that shot Sheikh Qasim also shot at the heart of national reconciliation," Sunni parliamentarian Raad al-Dahlaki said. "The government has nice words but doesn't execute its promises. It's too weak to control the militias."

Iraq's Shiite militias have flourished since Islamic State's advance across the country last summer as the government was forced to rely on them for security as the Iraqi army disintegrated.