Iraqi police set up roadblocks around the oil-rich city of Basra yesterday as a month-long state of emergency declared by Prime Minister Nouri al-Mali

Iraqi police set up roadblocks around the oil-rich city of Basra yesterday as a month-long state of emergency declared by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki went into effect.

Basra Governor Mohammed al-Waeli said army troops and police fanned out around Iraq's second-largest city as part of a crackdown on rampant violence that has increased in recent weeks as rival Shiite militias fight each other for power.

"The emergency plan was implemented last night. Army and police were deployed in large numbers," al-Waeli said.

Al-Waeli said a security committee was set up, and it includes three members of the provincial council and leaders of the police and army. A weapons-buyback plan is also being considered for the city's heavily armed residents.

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