Iraq's Awakening Councils

The BBC News website looks at the key questions surrounding Iraq's Sunni Awakening Councils, one of the main movers behind the current reduction in violence across Iraq.

When and why did they emerge?

About 100,000 Sunni Iraqi men has joined the Awakening Councils

Starting in 2005 in Anbar province, Sunni tribesmen who had previously fought US and Iraqi government forces gradually allied themselves with the US military.

The tribesmen had previously been useful to al-Qaeda in Iraq, the main militant insurgent group, by working with al-Qaeda or allowing it to operate in areas they predominated in western and central Iraq.

Some Sunni Muslim tribesmen, once in a position of privilege under Saddam Hussein, saw their influence disappear as Shia Iraqis came to dominate Iraqi political power after the US-led invasion.

Armed opposition to the US by Iraqi tribesmen was partly based on nationalist sentiment and fear of being governed by Shia politicians.

But the US military succeeded in winning them over by striking deals and bringing thousands onto the US payroll, arming and training them.

The emerging tribal militia became know as the Sahwa or Awakening Councils. They denied al-Qaeda space to operate from the areas they controlled and drove them out.

Some said the tribes also turned against al-Qaeda because of the indiscriminate killing and the extremity of their ideology. Others claim that the initial councils emerged out of competition between tribes for control of trade and smuggling in Anbar province.

What was the effect of the emergence of the councils?

The marked reduction in violence in Iraq rests on three parallel developments:

• A ceasefire by the main Shia militia to oppose the US led force, the Mehdi Army

• The US troop surge in and around Baghdad
• The formation and spread of the Awakening Councils.

More than 100,000 armed Sunnis are members of these Awakening Councils, known by the US military as "Concerned Local Citizens' groups".

Salaries for the groups cost approximately US $360m. This does not include arms and training.

The emergence and success of the councils transformed the huge province of Anbar within a year, making it one of most secure parts of Iraq.

Councils are also found among Sunni Arab tribes in Salaheddin, Diyala, Nineveh and Tamim provinces.

Commanders, members and religious leaders associated to the councils have often been the target of attacks by al-Qaeda militants.

What does the central Iraqi government make of the councils?

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has often expressed the fear that the US military has effectively helped establish an armed Sunni opposition in Iraq.

Iraqi officials have talked about disbanding what they see as militias, or integrating them into the Iraqi army or police.

At the very least, the mainly Shia-run national government is wary of the militias and how they may develop into alternative centres of military and political power.

Members of the Baghdad Awakening, estimated to number about 54,000, move to the Iraqi government payroll on 1 October, with others to follow.

The smooth running of this change is widely seen as crucial.

The gains made in reducing the violence may be at stake.

Iraqi officials have spoken of integrating 20% of the members of the councils into the police or army. It's not clear what will happen to the remainder.

The fear is that this will alienate large numbers of armed Sunnis and risk a return to widespread sectarian violence.